(Hearts in Harmony #1) Casey Keena Valeria doesn't believe in lasting love after being abandoned by her mother without any explanation. Growing up, she learned to depend only on herself-strong on the outside, fiery and competitive on the volleyball court, but so guarded when it comes to anything that could make her feel vulnerable. For Casey, love has always been temporary. Something that leaves. Something that hurts. Then comes Augustine Riel Chan. UST's golden boy. A rising basketball star. Confident, calm, and frustratingly persistent in a way that slowly gets under her skin. The question is, is she willing to risk everything... just to possibly get hurt again?

18+ | 2026 WATTYS SHORTLISTER | First Draft | Not edited. |"You gonna sit there all night?" Luka glances at me, smirking. I glare back. "I was enjoying the last few seconds of peace before having to spend an evening pretending to like you." "That's funny," he says, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Why?" I snap. "Because I was thinking the same thing." | The rules? Easy enough. 1. Pretend to be the perfect couple. 2. Keep it professional. 3. And whatever you do, don't. catch. feelings. Simple, right? Sofia Calloway never planned on going viral for throwing a drink in Luka Mikhaylov's face. But one video, one pissed-off hockey star, and one furious university later... she's suddenly stuck in a fake relationship with the guy she can't stand. He needs to clean up his image before the NHL draft. She needs the free tuition that comes with the deal. All they have to do is smile for the cameras, hold hands at the games, and act like they don't want to strangle each other. Then come the late-night arguments that last too long. The stolen glances that feel too dangerous. The moment where "pretend" starts looking way too real. Because when you break the rules, someone's bound to lose. And this time, it might be both of them.

Once lovers, now strangers drifting through separate lives. She holds onto hope, building her career and anchoring herself to the tiny moments of happiness she can control. He sails toward a new life, unaware that she's still waiting for a miracle. Between tides of love, loss, and growth, can hearts separated by fate ever find their way back? Date Started: February 10, 2026

In a space shared, a void touched. The Essence Series: Second Installment. start: 12/25/2025