Born into poverty and raised in a world that tried to define her before she could define herself, Maria Kim (formerly Kenneth Bongabong) grew up fighting battles most people never see-inside her home, inside her heart, and inside her identity.

From a difficult childhood marked by hardship and discipline, to academic excellence that became her escape, Maria Kim's life unfolds as a journey of relentless resilience. As she navigates adolescence, first loves, silent heartbreaks, and the pressure to succeed, she learns that survival often demands sacrifice. Teaching becomes her calling-first in the Philippines, then in the United States-yet even success cannot shield her from betrayal, financial ruin, and emotional devastation.

At the lowest point of her life-homeless, broken, and stripped of dignity-Maria Kim rebuilds from nothing. What follows is a powerful transformation: a rediscovery of purpose, a rebirth of identity, and the courage to finally live as her authentic self. As she transitions into womanhood and into Maria Kim, she faces love again-first through painful illusions, then through a love that finally chooses her back.

This memoir traces her real-life journey through:

poverty and achievement

discipline and rebellion

wrong love and true love

shame and self-acceptance

invisibility and visibility

survival and becoming

At its core, this is not only a story about being transgender-it is a story about becoming human without apology.

Written with raw honesty, emotional depth, and cinematic storytelling, this book is a testament to the truth that no matter how many times you are broken, you can still rise whole.

This is not just a story of falling in love with another person.

This is the story of falling in love with yourself-after the world tried to teach you not to.