Wounds heal, but scars remain. So even with the possibility that one can accept and move forward, it's impossible to forget. Because there will always be an irremovable mark that will remind you of every bit of pain. Growing up without a mother was Zarih's first heartache. It scarred her more than anything else. She sees how her dad grieves for her mom all the time-even after years-and it breaks her. When Zarih learned about the possibility that she might have inherited her mother's heart disease, she knew she couldn't afford to love because she wouldn't want anyone to suffer at her death. She wouldn't want to love someone just to wound him at the end. It was easy not to fall in love, only if Ace Timotheo Salvador, her summer enemy, didn't dare touch her scars... as if they were the most beautiful parts of her existence. Zarih feels like losing it... She wants to love and be loved. Maybe he can heal her scars. Maybe their story is different from her dad's. Maybe they can have a happy ending. Or maybe... She should've not risked it at all. Maybe she could've not scarred her heart more. Finished: July 21, 2022

Engaged for convenience, top model Chanel Alcantara finds herself genuinely falling for Engr. Travis Ford. But when a tragedy wipes her memories clean, Chanel must choose between guarding her heart or trusting a love her mind can't remember. *** Known as one of the highest-paid models in the country, Chanel Athena Alcantara loves being in the spotlight. To meet her parents' expectations, she consistently strives for perfection in both her work and studies. But her life takes an unexpected turn when she suddenly finds herself engaged to Engr. Travis Leandro Ford, the son of her parents' business partners. As they pretend to get along, what begins as a forced arrangement soon turns into something real. Just when everything's going well, complications and tragedies strike, eventually breaking them apart. Now that Chanel has forgotten everything about her past, can she manage to stay strong and guard her feelings this time around? Or will she choose to trust Travis and her heart, even when her mind is telling her otherwise? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano

Elara Soledad de Merced thrives in attention and affection-being the youngest and only daughter, never once did she experience being set aside and treated as someone deemed unworthy. All her life, she was treated with utmost care and love. The princess with a perfect life who had never gone through hardship. Boys dream of her. Girls look up to her. Some hate her. Whatever she does, everyone follows. Second to none, rejection was something she was never familiar with, until him-her first love and the only man who ever rejected her. But not even her first rejection could stop her, so she pulls out her highest heels and her sparkly little dress, because what Elara wants, Elara gets. Luis Silvino Prodigalidad is what she wants, and she will get him, even if it means painting his hurricane into pink skies.

Kio Soledad de Merced always kept his life quiet and private. He never wanted anything flashy and grand. Attention and spotlight were the two things he never wanted to have. Calm and easy, that's how he preferred his life. Shiloh Lumiere Bendia's life was far from what he wanted, she was born for the spotlight. Living under the scrutinizing eyes of the world, Lumiere's life consists of cameras and flashes following her whenever she moves. The world gravitates around her, and everyone who sees her is drawn to her light, including him. The moment he saw her on that stage with the spotlight shining on her, he knew he would spend his whole life admiring her from afar. But with the twist of fate and a little luck, his fate might have changed. A secret moment. A lingering stare. Quick stolen moments behind the camera that no one knows about. But to what extent can they sacrifice for a losing battle they knew they would never win? To love is to risk. To risk requires courage and courage is only found in places we're too scared to take. ---- Date Started: March 2025 Date Finished: June 15, 2025

After getting pregnant at a young age, Calista Belmonte tries her best to keep her son hidden from his father, Lazarus Cavanaugh. But when their paths cross again, can the truths of the past finally bring them together, or will it only keep them further apart? *** Simple yet beautiful, Calista Belmonte can catch the attention of the people around her without even trying. With her parents living abroad, she must focus on her studies and be independent at a young age. However, an unexpected encounter with Lazarus Cavanaugh turns into a bigger mistake, leaving Calista pregnant with their son. As their paths cross again, Calista tries to keep her son hidden from Lazarus, only to end up on his side again. With their new connection and a possible second shot at love, can Calista and Lazarus embrace the hope of a fresh start and make everything right this time? Or will the truths of their past continue to hurt them and push them further apart? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano

WCS 2: Beneath the Dopamine Sky Catherine Gail Sylviana Garavani Cruz---the girl who had designer heels, branded bags, a million-dollar wardrobe, straight A's and a future stitched in gold and handed to her on a silver platter. The calm and poised heiress of Garavani Couture. Quiet. Effortless. Composed. Untouchable. She was born into a legacy and was trained to carry it on. Jared Brylle Rivera was the opposite. He's a happy-go-lucky dreamer with a smile through every struggle. He brought nothing but a hand-me-down stethoscope, and second hand books. No safety net. No readily opened doors. Just a dream too big even for his empty pockets. She came from an empire built for her. He came from nowhere. She had everything but freedom. He had nothing but a dream to catch and...her. They were college sweethearts. A young love that burned and chased bigger dreams. Two hearts that dared to continue their love story in a place where pressure was relentless and time was never enough. Eastbridge Medical School witnessed the cries, joy, and desires of their hearts. In the race to their dream of becoming a doctor, love was easy for them. They've endured and surpassed years together with flying colors not until the truth resurfaced and demanded its price. As their dopamine high wore off, their love faced its biggest test. What do you do when the person you love becomes the one standing between your principle and the future you bled for? How do you survive the truth? Do you even survive it? In the shadows of truths and lies, what are you willing to be at stake? your love or...your principles?

Timid and soft-spoken, Holy Ildefonso suffers from anxiety and erotophobia due to her deceased parents. As she spends time with the naughty and dashing Laki Cavanaugh, can Holy really face her fears, or will his actions only trigger them more? *** Suffering from erotophobia, Holy Ildefonso finds it hard to be close to other men except for her own brother. When she discovers that her brother is leaving and she must live under the same roof with Laki Cavanaugh, she suddenly feels trapped and unsecure. With him offering to help with her phobia, Holy reluctantly agrees and unexpectedly finds herself being more comfortable with him. However, just when they think that their situation is getting better, challenges and misunderstandings come between them, tearing them apart. As Holy returns to the country and sees the changes in Laki, can they still try to make everything work this time around? Or will they choose to move on and surrender, even if it breaks their hearts? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano

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

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

Disclaimer: This is the second book that I've ever written. Please proceed with caution and understanding. --->> Eros Soledad de Merced was born to lead, rule, and dominate. Born as the eldest grandson of Soledad de Merced, everyone knew the weight of the crown he was born to carry. He was a man destined to lead. A boy who was born to rule. A man who carried the weight of his responsibilities with excellence and perfection. Eros knew what was expected of him at a very young age, so everything was carved into his mind. He knew his life, and he knew his future. For him, there was no room for failure. It was perfect, it was good... until it wasn't. One summer. A girl named Winter. Cold as her name might sound, yet she was able to set fire to his perfectly drawn life. The plans that were carefully built along his path suddenly became unclear. And amid his crumbling life was her, Winter Eloise Cojuangco. The woman who owns the pair of the most perfect forest green eyes he'd ever seen. The woman he left behind to fulfill what was expected of him. And the very same woman also happens to be the mother of his son. Date Started: December 2024 Date Finished: February 2025