"My name is Adelina, and I'm a pathological liar. I make up scenarios just to get people in trouble, and I'm good at persuading others that I'm a helpless, vulnerable girl. I'm not to be trusted."
"Did your brother tell you to say that, Adelina? Are you afraid of him?"
I maintained silence, slowly raising my eyes to the large mirror again and quietly whispered under my breath.
"Nothing happened. It was all in my head."
Twenty-one year old Adelina is an illusionist who is locked up in a world of her own.
A world where she's battling with her inner demons, threatening to be released.
When Jonathan insists on bringing her back to L.A. with him, she meets his group of friends. Whom, at first sight, may seem like the typical young party animals that love to indulge in booze and spontaneous sex.
They are anything but innocent and may be involved in something far more sinister than what meets the eye.
As she is drawn into her stepbrother's inordinate and problematic lifestyle, Adelina begins to lose control of her mental stability as her deepest and darkest fears are brought to life.
A criminal mastermind makes a bold move against a wealthy client to put himself in a position to retire in comfort. He has no idea what he's up against when a young widow, desperate to make ends meet, sets her eyes on earning the bounty set on his head.
***
Newly widowed housewife Melody Scott needs to earn some major cash, fast. When her bright and busy children learn that a priceless ruby bracelet has been stolen and a six-figure reward is being offered, they convince her to try to do what the police, museum security, and the best private investigators have failed to do. Working against them is a notorious thief who has met people from around the world, but who has never once encountered a woman like Melody Scott. When the sweet innocence of the Scott family clashes against criminal forces more dangerous than they ever imagined, Melody is all too aware that a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do to protect her family.
The Widow, Melody Scott is a 2021 Watty Award Winner!
Content Warning: This story does contain depictions of stalking behavior.