Tondo Stories

After losing her father, Arabelle is uprooted from the Americas to the vibrant streets of Tondo Manila, Philippines. In this new chapter of her life, she meets Apollo Alistair, a mysterious figure who becomes both her love and her protector. Together, they navigate a difficult journey, facing hidden threats and uncovering secrets that threaten their happiness. Will their love prevail against all odds? Arabella is timid, shy, and too kind for her own good. After being under the care of his American father from the day she was born until his unfortunate death, would she be able to survive the life that has been awaiting her in Tondo? Or would the supposedly one time saving of his knight in black hoodie become an everyday occurrence?

In the smoke-choked alleys of Ulingan, a forgotten corner of 1990s Tondo, Manila, a man's heart can turn to charcoal. For Kael, life is a slow burn of grinding poverty, suffocating dust, and the bitter ashes of a future that was stolen from him by a tragic fire. His hands are permanently stained black from the charcoal pits that provide a meager existence for him, his ailing younger sister, and his aging grandmother. He is a man who believes he is as worthless as the soot he handles: broken, dirty, and destined to be consumed by the darkness. But in a world made of refuse, sometimes the most profound treasures are found amongst the trash. Two things begin to ignite a flicker of something in Kael's hardened heart: an unexpected discovery of a waterproof Bible he cannot sell, and an encounter with a humble pastor whose kindness feels more dangerous than a threat. As he is pushed to the brink by a local gang leader and the crushing weight of his sister's worsening illness, Kael is forced to confront the cynical walls he has built around his soul. The words he reads in the dead of night speak of a grace he cannot comprehend and a hope he doesn't believe he deserves. Can a heart that has been turned to charcoal ever learn to burn with the fire of faith? Can a man who has only known ashes be remade into a jewel? The Charcoal Heart is a raw and moving story of a man's journey from the deepest despair to an astonishing redemption. It is a testament to the fact that grace can be found in the grimiest of places, and a powerful reminder that the most broken hearts can often burn the brightest.

In the busy streets of Tondo in Manila, hearts are mature as ever. Being in the city where parents are busy doing working for the education of their kids, youngsters find ways to entertain themselves. Most people thought everyone here is all about doing vices and with bad companions. Little did they know that many people here spend their nights with butterflies in their stomach from the little adventures they had for the day.

The elegant Portia Susanna Divesta-Hojas has her own clothing brand and is a CEO of her Grandmother's company. She then meets a guy with out of this world fashion sense who turns out to be the CEO of their partner-company... Chandler Dean Gorez-Montano. The two kicked it after Portia gives Chandler a make over he needed. COMPLETED ❤️

A girl of Chinese descent struggles through the death of her favorite house help, through her family relationships, tradition, through life and growing up.

As a young girl who grew up in the slums of Tondo, Manila, Philippines to a woman of wealth and power, Isabelle is hurled back to her gloomy past when her long lost father got in contact with her again, now with a surprise that will change her life forever. Through this surprise, Isabelle finally comes to terms with who she is as a person-someone worthy of feeling whole, capable of feeling decent emotions, and capable of appreciating not just her own pain but the pain of all those people, before her, who have been hurt just like her.