Walang ibang hiling si Denise kundi magkaroon ng maayos na buhay at talikuran ang isang trabaho na napilitan siyang pasukin. Sa trabahong iyon ay nakilala niya si Lance Barrera. Seryoso ito, mayaman pero hindi naging hadlang iyon para magkaroon sila ng magandang pagkakaibigan. Kaibigan lamang ang dapat na ituring ni Denise dito. Pero hindi niya pa rin napigilan ang sariling humigit pa doon ang nararamdaman para kay Lance. Hindi iyon puwede. Nakatali na siya sa ibang lalaki na nagligtas sa kanya sa hindi magandang buhay noon. At siguradong wala ring katugon kay Lance ang kanyang nararamdaman. Palaging sinasabi ng lalaki na may isang parte ng pagkatao nito ang hindi matatanggap ng kahit na sino - ang dahilan kung bakit ito iniwan ng dating asawa at kung bakit nawala na ang paniniwala sa mga salitang 'pag-ibig' at 'pamilya'.

On a flower-filled island of Isla Primavera, Andreas "Andi" Lujan, a charming hairdresser, runs a cozy salon where Cleonna Ravijo, a sweet but spoiled girl, often visits, having a crush on him. Unaware that Andi knows her much better than she realizes. Why does Andi care for her so deeply, yet keeps a distance? As they reconnect, old feelings begin to resurface, and secrets of the past start to unravel. Book 1 of Isla Primavera series. Single Point of View. Tag-Lish. Started: MAR - 14 - 2025 Ended: APR - 09 - 2025

Aliza May Paulo, the heiress of a powerful man from Cebu, had it all -- beauty, brains, and wealth. But she yearned for more, a life free from the constraints of her dad's expectations. In a desperate attempt to break free, she stowed away on a boat bound for Manila. However, her plan went awry when she was kidnapped and taken back from where she belongs. Meanwhile, Jonathan "Anton" Ramos was the trusted right-hand man of Aliza's father. He was tasked with everything, from keeping the family business running smoothly to disciplining the heiress herself. And as they stayed together, Aliza began to see Anton in a new light, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to their relationship than just heiress and pobre. As they faced unexpected challenges, Aliza was forced to confront her own prejudices and privilege. Would she continue to live life as a spoiled brat, or would she find the courage to change and become a better person? And as Anton and Aliza's feelings for each other grew stronger, they were faced with an impossible decision: should they follow their hearts, even if it meant going against everything they had ever known? Or should they stick to the status quo, even if it meant sacrificing their own happiness? Date Started: 28 October 2022 Date Completed: 11 November 2022

R18| MATURE CONTENT When Professor Hugh McConaughey discovers his girlfriend cheating with his favorite student, can he rebuild his shattered world? In tranquil Santander, will his encounter with 18-year-old college student June Skye offer the solace he seeks? As they go through their emotional baggage and fears of intimacy, can they find healing in each other's arms? Will Hugh gather the strength to confess his true feelings, risking it all for a chance at love? Years later, a fateful reunion forces them to confront their past. Will they seize the opportunity to reignite their flame, or will they let go of what once was? Date Started: 12 November 2022 Date Completed: 8 December 2022

Princess Sumaguban is twenty one, a nursing student, and the only girl in a family of law enforcement. Her father is a chief in the U.S. military, strict but deeply loving, and her uncles in the Philippines wear badges of their own. The kind of family that makes boys nervous before they even say hello. She has effectively had no boyfriend since birth. Not because she couldn't. But because she never wanted what boys her age offered. Too loud. Too careless. Too frat boy, all bravado and no backbone. She was named Princess for a reason. The only girl, fiercely protected, raised with discipline, expectations, and a future she took seriously. School came first. It always did. Her life is busy and full, split between nursing school and hospital rotations, running on caffeine, adrenaline, and stubborn optimism. One ordinary day, she sees him. Tall. Russian. Brown curls that refuse to behave. Glasses. Incredibly handsome. He doesn't smile. She can tell. Lips so luscious it throws her off balance, but she already knows a man like him belongs in a lab or an operating room, not standing this close to her, not close enough that she suddenly forgets how to breathe. She offers him a bite of her favorite snack. She knows she shouldn't have. But in that moment, she knows he takes more than a bite. He takes something that sinks into her chest, threading itself through a place that was never meant for anyone else.

R18| MATURE CONTENT After losing her husband, Isla Gabrielle Gomez thought she'd never love again. But when she meets Angelo Razonable, a charming young man 17 years her junior, she feels a spark she can't ignore. The only problem? Angelo is her daughter's best friend. Isla knows their age gap and the potential for family drama is a recipe for disaster, but she can't help her feelings. As they navigate their forbidden love, Isla and Angelo battled societal norms, judgmental family members, and their own doubts. Isla, a former beauty queen and successful chef, has always been in control, but Angelo's youthful energy and passion for life challenge her in ways she never expected. Can they overcome the obstacles and fight for their love, or will they be forced to give up? Set in the picturesque town of Moalboal, this May-December romance explores the complexities of love, grief, and second chances. Will Isla and Angelo's love story have a happy ending, or will their age difference and past mistakes tear them apart? Join them on their journey as they discover the true meaning of love and sacrifice. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish COVER DESIGN: Sands Edits Date Started: 8 December, 2022 Date Completed: 4 February, 2023

(for mature readers only! 18+) "Joaquin, I'm demanding you to not go any further" ang sabi ni Robyn habang naglalakad paatras at nakaturo ang kanyang index finger kay Joaquin. She's afraid of what she's feeling towards him. Para bang sasabog ang kanyang dibdib sa kabang nadarama. "Bakit ba kung tratuhin mo ako para akong batang maliit ha? Robyn?" tanong ni Joaquin na dahan-dahang lumalapit sa kanya. "Because I'm your teacher" ang pagpapaalala ni Robyn, and God no you're wrong because, I don't see you as a kid, she thought. Joaquin snorted, "alam naman nating mas matanda pa ako sa iyo". "But I'm still your professor" ang mariing sagot ni Robyn and she was already leaning on the wall. "Pero wala tayo sa loob ng classroom Robyn, nandito tayo sa kwarto ko, at dito ako ang masusunod" ang sabi ni Joaquin sa kanya. At napapikit na lang si Robyn nang makita niyang unti - unting bumababa at lumalapit ang mukha ni Joaquin sa kanya. Robyn del Valle has always been Miss Goody Two Shoes. But one night, she suddenly felt rebellious and free, kaya nagpunta siya sa isang bar na exclusive for women only. Then suddenly, she saw herself in front of a hot, sexy, good looking, and NAKED man gyrating himself on her. Maybe because of too much drinks and cheers from the other women, she began giving the hot guy a mind blowing job, which literally blows on her face. Well, no one knew her, and after this night no one will ever remember, and she would have a good laugh about this memory until the day she dies. Well that's what she said, but wait until the class started and Robyn meets her students.... Completed October 2019 © CACAI1981 2019

WARNING MATURED CONTENT | R18 Broken, Aether Takahashi bumped into a handsome green-eyed man on the dancefloor of the club she went to get drunk for her shattered heart. Unbeknownst to her, the man she bumped into has the same fate as her; they were both cheated on, and deeply wounded by their past relationship. The supposedly drinking and dancing only to pacify their pain led to a steamy hot night that made both of them connected for a lifetime. Maybe Ed Sheeran was wrong. The club is the best place to find a lover, for Aether found a billionaire lover in the club. But is he different from the man who had broken her heart first? What if Aether just thought of him as her happy ending and instead, he becomes her greatest heartbreak? The person who saved her from the pain of being cheated on many times by her ex and then suddenly the same reason why she met him in the club became the same reason why they broke apart? "...There's a scandal... sex scandal of Ridge- " ___ THENAUGHTYGRAY ©️ 2022

[The Wattys 2025 Shortlist] ********** She spent twenty-four years preserving herself for one man-only for him to choose her best friend instead. Tomorrow, they would vow eternity to each other, while she remained nothing but a spectator to a love she had longed for. Desperate, she devised a plan, one final chance to make him hers. A single drop of aphrodisiac, a carefully orchestrated encounter-she would take what was meant to be hers. But fate had other plans. In the darkness of her deceit, she fell into the arms of the wrong man. A ruthless, merciless, and identical in every way except for the shadows that clung to him like a second skin. Her trickery had backfired, and now, she was at the mercy of a man whose hunger knew no bounds. He devoured her, claimed her, and became intoxicated by her taste, scent, and the desperate, helpless moans she never intended for him. She had set a trap, but it was she who had been ensnared. In her desperation, she had tasted her own poison. And he had found a new obsession. *********************************** Started: March 22, 2025 Ended: April 21, 2025 Revised: August 2, 2025

He was born a weapon, sharpened by blood, trained to kill without hesitation. By day, he hides in the quiet halls of a university; by night, he is the mafia's youngest assassin, feared as a shadow that never misses its mark. She was raised in an orphanage, a girl of fragile health and gentle soul. Innocent, modest, and unshakable in her belief that even the darkest heart carries a spark of goodness. Their worlds should never have touched. Yet when fate binds the devil to his lamb, tenderness collides with violence, and devotion becomes a dangerous sin. But in the underworld, innocence is never left untainted. Enemies are quick to notice where his gaze lingers, and in her weakness, they see his only vulnerability. To love her is to defy his bloodline. To protect her is to betray everything he was trained to be. When the choice comes; to take her life, or give up his own? An assassin will finally learn what it means to have a heart. *********************************** Started: September 02, 2025 Ended: November 28, 2025