Maurice Severina de Morga, a registered nurse, wants to escape the torment of her family by leaving the country, but Ulysses Ridgen 'Yuri' Suarez offers her a fresh perspective on life. However, just as heaven grants hope, it also finds ways to take it back. *** Neglected and mistreated, Maurice has lived in the shadows of cruelty, cast aside by a family that never saw her worth. Leaving home and building a future abroad seems like the only way to prove she can live on her own. But fate has a wicked sense of irony when she asks Yuri Suarez for a bizarre request in her laboratory class. As a grumpy nurse who detests small talk, dealing with Yuri is far from easy for Maurice. But for once, she believes he is a wildcard deal straight from heaven-a chance at something more. Yet when his life hangs by a thread, Maurice is caught between saving him and saving herself. Is he truly heaven's wildcard, or has fate cursed her with yet another inescapable hell? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Louise De Ramos

Laki sa hirap si Xy at dahil doon isa lang ang gusto niya sa buhay: Ang yumaman at magkaroon ng maginhawang buhay. Kaya nang biglang dumating sa harap niya ang isang mayamang lalaking nagpakilalang ama niya ay pumayag agad ito sa gusto niyang gawin upang pamanahan siya: Ang makapagtapos siya sa Mainland Private High School bilang valedictorian. Walang reklamong ginawa ni Xy ang gusto ng ama at agad na hinarap ang hamon. Ngunit ang inaakala niyang madaling gawain ay naging isang suntok sa buwan nang ma-diskubre ang madilim na sistema ng eskwelahang pinasok niya. Ang inaakalang simpleng pag-aaral ay nahantong sa pagdiskubre sa lihim ng mga kapwa estudyante at propesor, at pag-ungkat sa mga madidilim na sikreto ng institusyong pinasok niya. Akala ni Xy ay lumabo na ang tyansa niyang maging valedictorian pero nagbago ito nang madiskubre niya ang sikreto ng kaniyang gwapo at matalinong propesor na si Havoc Hidalgo. Makakayanan kaya ni Xy harapin ang hamon ng misteryosong eskwelahan sa tulong ng propesor o matatagpuan niya ang sarili pabalik sa buhay ng kahirapan? ₱₱₱ TRIGGER WARNINGS AHEAD. PLEASE READ WITH PRECAUTION. Language: Taglish (Tagalog and English) ₱₱₱ Writing: June 6, 2023 - July 9, 2023 Published: July 1, 2023 - July 15, 2023 daddy, i need your money ™ athena folder: file no.1 NEKO

[Sarmiento Series #1] Growing up in the Philippines, Amara Roussane Faustino has always dreamt of being a model. So when the moment came to move with her father who lives in Italy, she grabbed the opportunity in a single heartbeat. Her dream has always been to be closer to Milan. Not knowing that moving to Italy would be one of the biggest regrets she will make in her life. Yves Marcellus Sarmiento took over his family's wine business at the age of twenty-five. Three years later, the business has never been as successful. He has it all. Good looks, skills, and wealth. Except for one thing. He doesn't know the woman underneath the crimson mask who caught his attention during the masquerade ball. Amara has always hated Yves since the very first time she took step on Italy. Her father constantly compares her to Yves, leading her to despise him. She thinks he's too arrogant and full of himself. What will happen when she finds out that the man behind the silver mask ended up being the man she hates the most?

Kairos Levi Soledad de Merced was chaos and wildness altogether. A lover of the world and all the pleasures it has to offer. Love and commitment? That never existed in his vocabulary. He was the type to give you the highs and all the best things in life, leaving you wanting more, only to be forgotten by him the next day. Chasing the wild tide of life and living without inhibitions was his way of life. He prefers all things physical and casual. He wants his life to be simple, easy, and hot- the same way he wants his woman to be. Ma. Anisa Sta Ines is smart, confident, strong-willed.... and smart again. Matalino, matapang, magaling. Pero hindi maganda. All her life, she has been nothing but an extra in everyone's story. The wingman, the third wheel, and the go-to person for everyone interested in her friends. She knew she was never meant to be chosen, never meant to be pursued. She was the calm of a Wednesday morning; The stability that people usually take for granted. But her stability and peace ceased to exist when Kairos rejected her love letter in front of the whole Eunthastica. Not because he rejected her in front of the whole school. But because the letter wasn't for him, it was supposed to be for Iñigo, his cousin. ---- Started: June 2025 Completed: September 2025

Hiraya Francesca is the golden child of Eunthastica University Foundation, the genius prodigy is bound to nothing but success. She treaded her life with grace and confidence. For her, failure isn't a roadblock but a redirection for something greater. A perfectly curated diamond amidst stone and sand. A perfectly curated success in a world full of commonness and mediocrity. Hiraya can have anything in this world, may it be beauty, brain, or boys. Everything. Except for Deimos Soledad de Merced. Kaya noong nagkaroon ng pagkakataon at hinayaan nitong makapasok si Hiraya sa buhay nito ay hindi na niya pinalagpas pa ito. She seized her chance and gambled, ngunit tama nga yata ang sabi nila; lahat ng matatalino, pag dating sa pag ibig ay nagiging bobo. She poured her heart and soul into all the oceans that she sailed and the spaces in between that she crossed, only to be welcomed by betrayal and loss. She loved him, he despised her. She trusted him, he betrayed her. She watched him tore her kingdom, and offer it to his own queen. Stripped out of her own title, the golden child lost her kingdom and crown. Date started: December 2023 Date finished: December 2024

Sollano Brothers #3: Yiem Matthew Sollano Lexia Jennica Silva is a rising actress and model with no plans of slowing down. Career muna bago commitment, iyan ang motto niya. She's living her best life, enjoying the spotlight, and staying away from anything serious... until one impulsive night changes everything. Yiem Mathew Sollano never imagined himself settling down. Pero ng makilala niya si Jennica, biglang nagbago ang pananaw niya sa buhay. A one-night stand was supposed to mean nothing, but for Yiem, it became something more-something he never thought he'd want. At mula no'n, hindi na niya tinantanan si Jennica. He pursued her relentlessly, convinced that what they shared was real. But everything happens for a reason. And sometimes, even the strongest feelings aren't enough to fight fate. When misunderstandings, pride, and pain threaten to tear them apart, will they hold on to love, or walk away from what could've been the best thing that ever happened to them?

Sollano Series #2: Fairah Chezian Sollano Fairah Chezian Sollano is used to getting what she wants. Bubbly, maldita, and spoiled to the core, she walks through life with her chin up and her heels higher. A future model in the making, she knows her worth, and isn't afraid to throw hands when needed. But her picture, perfect world takes a turn when a new classmate arrives. He's sarcastic, smug, and maddeningly good at pushing her buttons. From sly grins to teasing comments, he gets under her skin in ways she can't explain, especially when he catches her shaking in rage... and smiles. What starts as petty bickering soon blurs into something deeper, more dangerous. Because suddenly, it's not just her pride on the line, it's her heart. But when Fairah learns it was all just a game to him... she changes the rules. This time, she's not the girl being played. She's the one playing to win.

Sollano Series #1: Klive Owen Sollano Isang mapagmahal na anak si Kalea Hailey Mendez, lumaki siyang walang ama dahil maaga itong namayapa. Bilang nag-iisang anak, she grew up protected by her strong and loving mother. At may pangarap siya-to become a lawyer and fight for justice, to prove her worth and change her fate, forever strong. Love was never part of her plan, too uncertain for someone who valued peace. Then came him. A fellow future lawyer, cousin ng best friend niya. A man who didn't try to change her, but saw her. Someone who listened to her silence, believed in her dreams, and helped her breathe a little deeper. With him, Kalea learned to smile more, to care for herself, to live-not just exist. And for the first time, she let herself love. But not all love is mutual, and not all hearts beat in sync. Sometimes, love isn't enough to make someone stay. So she stepped back. Masakit man, she chose to love him from afar. To let go, without anger or bitterness. She chose growth, healing, and peace. Because maybe, if it's meant to be, love will return. And if not, at least she learned to love herself in the process. She gave her heart, quietly and fully. And maybe just maybe their love will find its way back... when it's time.

Sollano Brothers #4: Yielo Sairo Sollano May mga mayayamang hindi naman talaga masaya. May mga anak na nakukuha nga ang lahat, pera, gamit, karangyaan, pero kapalit nito, kontrolado ang bawat segundo ng buhay nila. Bawat desisyon, kailangan may approval. Bawat hakbang, dapat nakaayon sa gusto ng pamilya. Walang kalayaan. Walang sariling boses. At lalong walang lugar ang salitang piliin ang sarili. Gano'n ang buhay ni Chandria Celesta Ellison. She was raised to be flawless, elegant, intelligent, refined. Anak siya ng isang kilalang negosyante, at bata pa lang siya, itinuro na sa kanya kung paano maglakad, magsalita, at ngumiti na parang isang trophy, para lang sa imahe ng pamilya. Her life was mapped out for her. Hindi siya puwedeng magkamali. Hindi siya puwedeng sumuway. At ang pinakamalaking expectation? Dapat mapunta siya sa isang lalaking mayaman, edukado, kilala, at deserving sa apelyido nila. Love? Hindi 'yun kasama sa plano. At lalong hindi si Yielo Sairo Sollano. He was everything her family feared. Wala siyang yaman, koneksyon, o posisyon sa society. Pero meron siyang simpleng pangarap, tahimik na tapang, at pusong handang magmahal nang totoo kahit hindi tanggap ng mundo ni Celesta. At sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, nagtagpo ang dalawang magkaibang mundo.

Yvonne Maica Lim is an aspiring UAAP court side reporter for UST, she was so close to getting her football player crush after plotting on him for almost a year...but everything fell apart when she had to fake date the infamous star basketball player of the UST Growling Tigers instead. Book cover by cottonbro studio in pexels