"Because I am giving you your life back," Selim replied, standing up. "And a gift shouldn't be a burden. Smile for me once, and then go. That’s the only promise I need."
Leyla sobbed, a single tear escaping. "How can I not be sad?"
She looked at him for a long moment, seeing the immense effort he was making to be her strength one last time. She wiped her eyes and gave him a small, flickering smile—a fragile light in the autumn chill.
The old tea garden by the Bosphorus was nearly empty, the wind carrying the scent of salt and dying leaves. Selim watched Leyla’s hands; they were trembling as she held her glass. He knew what was coming before she even spoke. The silence between them had become a bridge that neither could cross.
Selim felt a sharp ache in his chest, but he didn't reach out to stop her. He loved her enough to know that his grip was what was suffocating her. He took a deep breath, forcing a smile that didn't reach his tired eyes. "Then let's make a deal," he said softly. She finally looked up, confused. "A deal?"
The phrase "" (Promise, please don't be sad) is a poignant sentiment often found in Turkish music and literature, most notably in the song "Üzülme" by Ferda Anıl Yarkın . It represents a desperate, loving plea for a partner to find peace even as a relationship ends or faces a deep struggle.