Chapter 3: The Goodbye That Wasn't Easy
The day he was deployed was the day Ayla realized how deeply she loved him.
Standing at the train station, she fought back tears as she looked at the man who had become her world.
"Promise me you'll come back," she whispered.
Zayan hesitated. He had seen too much of war to make promises he couldn't keep. Instead, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead.
"I'll try."
As the train pulled away, Ayla stood frozen, watching him disappear into the distance, not knowing if this was their last goodbye.