Pride is a household name in almost any country you go to, the family's name reaching to the far corners of the world and their influence hovering over everything like an ever existing storm.
That's what Lilianna Pride was, a storm. She was a tempest, raging inside and out, a wildfire, a volcano, a supernova.
The youngest of the Prides, Lila was somewhat a leader in their ranks. That was because of one thing, she was Powered. An anomaly in the gene of the Pride family granted them special abilities, only some of them. The ones with the Powers, especially the strongest, they were the leaders. Everyone else fell in line underneath. This was hierarchy, this was their way. The Pride's had a code, rules they must follow. But the hierarchy was getting hit by a storm, a devastating one, and Lilianna Pride is in the eye of the storm.
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.
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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.