When The Moon Stops Shining

Winds and Clouds Series #2

Like a pie that looks sweet on the outside, Angiela Mireille Serafina sees herself differently. She believes she is well-molded, but with bitterness hidden inside. She grew up believing she does not deserve love. That lie became the voice she hears the most. Because of it, she thinks she is a burden. She thinks she is too broken to be chosen.

Nakakapagod maging mabuting anak.
Nakakapagod ipagpaliban ang sama ng loob dahil magulang ko siya.
Nakakapagod maging sapat para sa kanya.

In his eyes, she does not know when she will ever be enough - for him... for her father.

The weight of trying to be "enough" slowly dims her light. She keeps giving, keeps adjusting, keeps staying silent, hoping that one day she will finally measure up. But the more she tries, the more she feels unseen.

And then there is him.

He sees her differently. When she calls herself a burden, he sees strength. When she thinks she is only bitterness, he sees depth. When she feels unworthy of love, he sees someone who has been carrying too much for too long.

He does not see broken pieces. He sees a girl who keeps trying despite the silence. He understands that her quiet endurance is not weakness, it is survival.

To him, the moon never truly stopped shining. It was only hidden behind heavy clouds. And slowly, through patience and presence, he reminds her that her light was never lost. It was simply waiting for the moment she would believe she deserved to shine.