you, not ending up with your soulmate is beyond the notion of the universe. if you want a happy ever after, this story is not for you. it's the ache that lives in between - when love is real, but you decided to not see it through.

When the de Guzman family leaves the city behind, all they want is a fresh start - a chance to breathe, to heal, and to rebuild what was lost. In the quiet neighborhood of La Cienega, they discover a world far different from the one they left behind: slower, softer, and unexpectedly full of hope. But starting over is never easy. Old wounds still ache, new challenges appear, and the bonds between them will be tested in ways they never imagined. Amid laughter, small heartbreaks, and gentle joys, they'll learn that peace isn't just a place - it's something they can create together.

[R E W R I T I N G] MONTEVERDE SERIES #1 Sierra Isla Diwa Costa was the campus marine biologist with salt in her veins and fire in her voice. Raphael Lucian Alvero was the political science heartthrob who could talk his way through any debate and into anyone's heart, including hers. They were rivals. Then partners. Then lovers. Everyone thought they were endgame. But life after graduation had other plans. Their love slipped quietly into silence. But the sea remembers. And some stories aren't over yet. #1 - rivalstolovers [07.02.25] #1 - comingofage [06.28.25] #1 - comingofage [08.23-24.25] #4 - ongoing [06.30.25] #1 - monteverde [06.30.25] #1 - monteverdeseries [07.02.25]

Even when you win, you lose. And sometimes, it's not the loss that kills you- it's how long you pretend it didn't happen. A ShuRalph/RalphVee story.