[PUBLISHED under LIB] #1. "If pleading guilty means protecting you, I will."

Started: 04/27/2021 Ended: 08/24/2021 Ang hirap palang tumanda. Ang hirap magbayad ng bills. Ang hirap suportahan ng pamilyang akala ay isang milyon ang suweldo mo. Ang hirap ngumiti sa nanay na mataas ang tingin sa'yo pero hindi ka kayang ipagtanggol. Ang hirap tabihan sa hapagkainan ng tatay na pinag-uubusan mo ng pera pero hindi ka maalala. Ang hirap mag-abot ng tulong sa kapatid na baon sa utang. Ang hirap intindihin ng hipag na nakakapagpa-rebond pa kahit kapos na kapos na. Ang hirap pakisamahan ng bunsong halos ilahad ang mga palad tuwing makikita ka. Ang hirap ngitian ng mga taong tanong nang tanong kung bakit hindi ka pa nakakapag-asawa. Ang hirap humarap sa mundong isasampal sa'yo na mag-isa ka. Tulong, bigay, utang. Isang iling mo lang, madamot ka na. Kasama mo sila kapag may maibibigay ka, pero hindi mo sila mahahanap kapag wala na. Ikaw ang kakayod, sila ang tutuka. Ikaw ang iiyak sa pagod, sila ang magtatamasa. Iyon ang summary ng buhay ko. Sobra-sobra ang naririnig na paghingi, kulang na kulang ang naririnig na pasasalamat. Sobra-sobra ang pagpapasensya, kulang na kulang ang natatanggap na pagpapahalaga. Sobra-sobra ang binabayaran, kulang na kulang sa kasiyahan. Kaya nang dumating sa buhay ko ang nag-iisang lalaking hindi ako nakita bilang naglalakad na alkansya, ang nag-iisang lalaking nakinig sa mahabang listahan ko ng problema, ang nag-iisang lalaking nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang saya, ipinangako ko sa sarili na sa gitna ng hirap ng pagtanda, magtitiis ako basta't siya ang kasama. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay pagtalikod sa minahal na pamilya. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay paglaban sa mundong pinatatakbo ng kapangyarihan at pera. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay ang pagdurusa't pag-iisa. Siya ang ginhawa, pahinga, at kasiyahan ko. Dumating man ang araw na tanaw ko na ang dulo. Dumating man ang araw na wala na kaming sagot sa lahat ng bakit at paano. Dumating man ang araw na pareho na kaming talo.

All her life, Mary Imogen Suarez was led to believe that she should end up with Parker Adrian Palma. Na dapat, kay Parker lang siya. Na si Imogen ay para lang kay Parker. But the problem was, Parker never looked her way, at least, not the way she wanted him to. For him, she's just the best friend-and a reminder of something he badly wanted to forget. For years, she lived with the knowledge that Parker would never like her back. Akala ni Imo, hindi na siya makakaahon sa naraaramdaman niya para kay Parker-until she met Saint Iverson Gomez de Lianño. Saint was a breath of fresh air. He's attentive, and he made Imo feel loved and appreciated-something she never felt during all the years she loved Parker. But when things started to fall in their right places, Parker decided to finally look her way. What would Imogen do? Would she brave the storm to be with Saint? Or would she tread the strings that connect her with Parker?

From strangers to friends. From friends to close friends. From close friends to lovers. When Joey met Psalm, she didn't think that they'd ever be together. Paano ba naman, ex niya ang best friend nito! Psalm had seen her at her lowest, and she didn't think that there's a possibility of them being together... Pero habang tumatagal, mas lalong napapalapit ang loob niya dito. But how could they be together if he couldn't trust her? Trust... parang isang maliit na bagay lang, pero kapag wala sa isang relasyon, hindi mo alam kung hanggang kailan magtatagal.

It's hard to prove yourself when everyone thinks that everything's being given to you on a silver platter. And in Siobhan Margarette's case, she'll do everything to make everyone see that she's worth it. But what will she do if someone unexpected sees her worth? Will she stay and accept? Or will she continue pretending that she doesn't feel a thing... too?

It has always been a dream for Ammy to live prosperously. Worse luck, she was not born with a silver spoon. She has to endure the mud on her feet as she chases her ambitions. Notwithstanding, it did not stop her. She has set her goals and will go the extra mile to get what she aims for her and her mother. She excels in almost everything that she tries and rarely did she place second in competitions; in games. She adheres to her belief that success can only be attained through continuous actions and victory thus she does not let anyone steal her place. Playful kismet, a big threat comes her way. Conrad-a well-born son from an affluent family of Suarezes. He can do anything as great as her, bringing her plans into a blur. Two players, one game. There is only one seat for the victor, one winner in every play. Who will win and who will lose . . . a game with kismet? Ended : October 21, 2022

(COMPLETED) Arken Zaviere is the definition of a perfect mayor, he was the savior of Caloocan City. Aside from being strikingly handsome and intelligent, he was also known for being a competent mayor for providing the needs of everyone... saving every family from poverty, providing jobs for the jobless people, and giving college scholarships. Jonalyn 'Ayen' Macarios admired him ever since he became the mayor. Mayor Arken Zaviere is beyond perfect in her eyes until that ill-fated night... when she saw Mayor Arken Zaviere's dark nature.

WATTY'S SHORTLIST 2023 Stuck in the never-ending responsibilities as one of the breadwinners of the family, Calisse Abigail Guillermo, an Iska from UP Manila, seeks to find true comfort between drinking and smoking. But she never does. Her desire to find consolation in everything is not found within the consumption of toxins. When she meets fellow smoker Chance Luy, a UP med student, in the bustling street of Pedro Gil, she thanks the heavens for a chance to meet him. Chance is your worn-out med student who is stingy. As they ponder about life, would they find solace as they share a moment of smoke?

Unedited version of She's Dating the Gangster.

A pair of caramel eyes, a sharp and pointed noise, a strong and defined jaw, and carnation pink lips-those were the words that could describe the man Allison Tanya Valmonte kept on dreaming every night. The man she didn't know existed. Bewitched and curious, she meticulously drew every detail of his physique and brought him to life using every stroke of her paint brush. Making that man her own masterpiece that would be featured on an art exhibit that she needed to attend to. On the day of the exhibit, their worlds collided-the man on her painting was standing next to her, real, alive, and breathing.