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her mother the reason behind killing her father. Columbia knew the other woman had to know something was up all those years, but to speak of it to her was too much.
    “Columbia, where are you?” her mother asked right off the bat.
    “You know I can’t tell you that,” she answered. “How are you mom?”
    “How do you think I am? I’m still mourning. Widowed for the second time? Having to explain to everyone that my own daughter killed my husband. Seriously, how do you think I feel?”
    Her mother had obviously had some cosmetic work done but it couldn’t cover the years of hard drinking and hard living. She still looked pinched and angry, even with new hair, new make-up and new clothes.
    “I’m sorry,” Columbia replied, but not sorry one bit. Killing that man had been the best thing she’d ever done. She’d single handedly saved herself and Eden. And Dimitri, if what he said was true. She believed him though, that she had saved him from himself, from going deranged with paranoia.
    “Sorry ain’t gonna cut it, Col. Is that all the money you’re sending us or will there be more?”
    Columbia had transferred the contents of her own seven-figure account to her mom, and she knew Dimitri had sent a few million more. How could she have possibly spent even a portion of the money by now? “We’ll send more when you need it,” Columbia replied. “Is the house ok?”
    “Yeah, it’s nice,” her mom reluctantly agreed. They had purchased her mom and Eden a five thousand square foot mansion close to the UBC Endowment Lands. It was on a huge private lot overlooking the ocean.
    “How’s the staff? Is Eden getting along with her tutor?” Columbia asked. Eden’s tutor was actually a highly paid bodyguard, sent there to watch over Eden in case anyone made the connection between Dimitri’s new houseguest and her former life.
    “She’s nice, Eden seems to like her,” her mother replied. “She hangs around too much maybe, but Eden needs somebody. I’m just so busy these days.”
    “Ok mom, I have to go, tell Eden I love her. Bye,” Columbia said and hit the end button finally. She just couldn’t keep up this façade any longer. She knew what her mother meant by busy, she meant gambling and drinking and fucking whatever men she could drag between her legs. At least Eden would be protected, Columbia was glad they had seen to that. The call wore her down, to face her mother, the woman who had put her in such peril in the first place, and the woman who had abandoned her to the wolf in her fairy tale life.
    Columbia rolled off the bed and paced the room. She knew she’d have to deal with the bitter emotions her mother brought up in her at some point, but not today.
    She had a quick shower to ease her frustration but it didn’t work. She dried her hair and carefully applied her make up as the woman who delivered it had taught her. She chose casual but beautiful and luxurious clothing, pants and a blouse. She paused in front of the floor length mirror in her closet and barely recognized herself. She looked elegant and monied. Not the same ratty girl she used to be.
    It was only ten in the morning and she suspected Dimitri would be busy for hours on the phone or on Skype. He dealt with his associates this way, still never leaving the penthouse. Columbia had only been out a couple of times with the concierge, she needed to work on Dimitri’s confidence. She’d been encouraging him to deal with his facial scarring lately. She thought he might be warming up to the idea.
    “Fuck it,” she muttered and grabbed her purse. It was crocodile Birkin Bag, something she’d once only dreamed of after seeing it on a “Sex in the City” episode. Now it was hers, as many as she wanted. She thought about going to get the concierge but decided against it. She wanted to explore the city on her own for a little while without his watchful eye.
    She slipped on some comfortable but stylish shoes and left through the front door. She