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

WATTY'S SHORTLIST 2021 EDITOR'S PICK OCTOBER 2021 Jiya Valle learns too late that kissing her sworn enemy since high school Migo Salas doesn't come without repercussions. And to her, it's a secret she's going to bring with her down to her grave--but Migo has other plans. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish.

Engineering students Pfifer and Ivan know that what they have is something special. Without a proper label between them plus an ugly twist of fate, can they manage to be together in the end--or will they remain as each other's TOTGA and nothing more? *** May feelings na laging nandiyan, nakaabang kung kailan magpapapansin. Nakaabang kung kailan ako titisurin sa mga pamilyar na kanta, lugar, at salita. Magpapaalala sa isang mukha na hindi ko naman gano'n kakabisado pero pamilyar. Magpapaalala sa mga dating pakiramdam. Malalaman mo raw kung sino ang The One That Got Away mo kapag narinig mo 'yong salita at nakaalala ka ng iisang tao lang; nakatisod ka ng mga dating pakiramdam; nangulila ka sa mga nakaraang saya; nakaalala ka ng mga pamilyar na sakit. Sabi, time heals wounds at distance makes one forget. Bakit parang hindi naman effective? Bitbit ko pa rin lahat ng what if. Hindi pa rin ako makatakas sa maraming sana. Ako ba ang bumitiw o siya? Tapos na ba kami talaga? Ang sarap magtanong kaso...wala nga palang kami noon. Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish.

(Game Series # 4) Charisse Faith Viste believes in working hard. She does not believe in luck, only hard work. Bata pa lang siya, nasanay na siya na pinaghihirapan lahat ng meron siya. Being the only girl in a family full of guys, nasanay na siya na kung gusto niyang makuha, kailangan niyang pagtrabahuhan. And because of this, she grew up tough. She already accepted the fact that guys are just too intimidated to even give her a second glance. She'll always be too smart, too confident, too much for everyone. One day, she had this overwhelming feeling of sadness. She looked around and saw that everyone around her has someone by their side... Everyone has someone to embrace... Siya? Libro lang ang kayakap. She used to be fine with the idea of being alone... alone, not lonely. But not anymore. She needed someone to stop her from feeling so lonely.

She vowed to stay. She just needed a keeper for maintenance. Henrietta Arturia is a drop-dead, gorgeous ice princess and yeah, a Freniere Mafia Reaper. She is an absolute recipe for immense destruction. But after witnessing Summer Leondale's courage, bravery and stupidity to fight for Giovanni Freniere, an old flame inside her spark to life and caused her to cross the dangerous line. And with all the risk and danger that she is bound to take, there is only one thing on her mission list that she has decided to push no matter how deadly it is: to seek revenge for her forlorn, unrequited love story. MONTELLO HIGH: SCHOOL OF GANGSTERS BOOK 2 Cover by Shaina Mae Navarro

"A woman who knows what she wants gets what she wants."

[Last of LOYAL HEARTS ] Abuse. Neglection. Independence. Malaki ang epekto sa buhay ng isang tao kapag lumaki sa kapaligirang hindi inaambunan ng pagmamahal. Love composes almost the whole percentage of life in general. Love in any kinds. Along in growing up is a discernment that you're not capable of the platitude affection. Ngunit sa paggising mo isang araw kung saan napagtanto mo ang isang bagay na inaakala mong hindi mo mararamdaman kahit kailan, isang pag-unawa ang pilit kumakain sa isip. And it is thinking that you don't deserve it. You don't deserve reciprocated feelings. Because you also grew up with the thought that you don't deserve the beautiful things. Nang makilala ni Davina si Jaxon, she knew her heart's at stake. Slowly, she let herself be engulfed with his attention. Dapat sa kanya lang ang malasakit ni Jax. She should be at the receiving end of his care and residual affection but love. She wants to hold him prisoner. A committed relationship, emotional issues and life status; Ito ang mga pader na nagbubukod sa kanila. The ones keeping them on the other side of each other. The reasons that resolved to her forbearing. But also became the backwash of their destruction. Both friendship and love. The wall thickens. It stands even higher as the conflict of the past is haunting. This time, Davina is the willing one to break those walls and go across the other side. To his side. Once again. Iyon ay kung tatanggapin pa siya muli nito.

I'm scared of the sea. I can't help but think of the danger it brings. The width and depth seem forever. But I know that someday, I'm going to swallow all my fears and sail into that immense body of menace. Because I have to find him. I have to see him. I have words I haven't told him yet. There are things he needs to know and I don't care if it matters now or it never really mean anything at all. I just have to find him.

The thing with Valentine's Day is, either you hate it or you love it. And Zade Pascual definitely belongs to the first category. Para sa kanya, isang araw lang ito ng commercialized version ng pag-ibig. Walang kakilig-kilig at napakalayo sa true love stories na nababasa niya sa mga libro. Nasubok ang kanyang anti-Valentine's sentiment when she unexpectedly meets Andreau Cortez-an award-winning actor and film student at her university-in the cafe where she works-- on Valentine's Day of all days. Andreau, their new cafe regular, surprises Zade by asking for her help with his latest short film project, which she hesitantly agrees to. Despite a rocky start, Zade discovers the real Andreau Cortez beyond the camera and celebrity gossip. Over the fika-not date hangouts and late-night conversations, their effortless friendship blurs into something more, to the point na akala ng lahat (yes, friends and family included) na sila na ni Andreau. Caught off guard by her evolving feelings, Zade must confront her own heart. Hanggang best friend nga lang ba ang tingin niya kay Andreau? Can their story unfold like the happy endings she loves in books? Well, sometimes, the best love stories take time to tell.