Ask-i Memnu: An Alternate Ending.

3. Goodbye, Istanbul!

Bihter sat next to her daddy's grave. Lost in her thoughts, crying her heart out. He was her therapy. Whenever she found herself in trouble, whenever she was sad, she would visit him and talk to him. Yet, this time it was different. She did not only come to spill her heart out, but also to say good bye. To pay a final visit to her dad before she left Istanbul for good.

Bihter: "Baba, how I wish you were alive today. I wish I could talk to you, hug you.. I miss you so much, daddy. I'm alone. I'm hurt. I have no one to talk to. I can't even express how I feel to the love of my life. He has strayed away from me. I know he is in pain too. He is fighting battles too. But I can't take it anymore. I have to leave, there's no other choice. I'm going to have a baby, dad!" she said smiling and holding on to her stomach. " I know it will make my life even more difficult but I can't give up on it. It's my only connection to Behlül. He's now a part of my body, my soul. I'll leave Istanbul, go far away. I don't want people to gossip about my baby. I don't want to be hurt either. The only way to escape this toxic cycle is to break away from it. Good bye, baba! I love you so much. I'll miss you.."

Bihter wiped away her tears and broke a sweet smile.

Bihter: "Hosçakal baba, seni çok seviyorum." she spoke under her breath as she got up and looked at his grave one last time.

Bihter left the graveyard and took a taxi back to her hotel. As she arrived at the hotel and got out of the taxi, she felt dizzy and almost stumbled. She started smiling, not believing this was real. A baby was now growing inside her! She was to become a mommy!

She got to her suite and sat down for a minute, trying to take in everything that was happening. There was a lot to be done, and so little time. She opened her laptop and started looking up for airline tickets. She knew where she was going. Los Angeles. The city where she spent much of her youth, completing her bachelors. It was the perfect place to start over from scratch. She also had many friends residing there so it would be easier to settle. She started looking up for airline tickets, apartment rentals, jobs, everything she had to manage if she were to shift to LA.

Before all of that, there was a much important matter to handle; divorce. She contacted Adnan over the phone and told him that she was filing for divorce as it was the best thing for everyone. Adnan wasn't so shocked because he knew it was going to happen sooner or later. He tried to change Bihter's mind, saying she was not thinking rationally. Bihter told him that staying away made things very clear for her and this was not how she wanted to live her life anymore. She told him how she wanted this vicious cycle to end, as it was necessary for both of them. She was quite adamant about the divorce and requested Adnan to not tell her her sister and specially her mom yet because she would start creating new obstacles and schemes for her. Adnan agreed reluctantly. He couldn't protest much because he did not want it to get ugly and create more negative media attention for him. All he requested was to file the divorce quietly, and announcing later when everything would cool down. Bihter agreed because this would actually help her in escaping the hell hole peacefully without everyone interrogating her.

Adnan, however did tell his immediate family about it. He told them Bihter had completely ended things and filed for divorce, returning all her shares in the company and everything else she got from Adnan so she could finally move on. The greatest shock was obviously for Behlul. He did not know how to feel about it. Bihter was finally free but ironically, now he was the one in shackles. He couldn't believe it. He tried contacting Bihter a million times after hearing about the divorce but she did not pick up any of his calls. She changed her hotel too, in case he came looking for her, which he did. He felt helpless, not knowing what to do anymore. He knew Bihter's refusal to talk to him was justified. He had broken her heart so badly. He wrote her a million emails but she read none. She was determined to be stronger for her child's future.

As the days passed, her time to leave came closer. Everything had been arranged. She contacted a friend in LA who offered her a place to stay till she could find herself a job and her own place. She had informed no one of her plan to leave till then. She knew Peyker and Firdevs would try to convince her to stay, telling her she was Bihter 'Ziyagil' and thats all that mattered. They did not know she was pregnant, they did not know about the whole situation so they would have never understood. Firdevs was busy with her new fiancé Çetin Ozder, a rich businessman, making everything easier for Bihter without her meddling around. 

The only person Bihter felt she owed an explanation to, before leaving, was Peyker. Bihter had met her quite a few times during this period but she never got the courage to say good bye to her sister face-to-face. Just moments before boarding the plane, she called Peyker.

Peyker: "Hello?"
Bihter: "Peyker.." she let out, almost tearing up.
Peyker: "Yes, sweety.. Are you okay? Why does your voice sound so low?"
Bihter: "Peyker.. I'm leaving."
Peyker: "What? Bihter, what? I don't understand.. what do you mean by leaving?" she questioned in panic.
Bihter: "I never wanted it to be this way. Trust me! But I couldn't muster the courage to say good bye to you face to face. Please forgive me. Please try to understand me.."
Peyker: "Bihter, have you lost it? Why are
you talking like that? What's going on? You are scaring me!! Tell me where you are, I'll come right away"
Bihter: "It's too late now. I'm about to board the plane. I have to go, it's necessary. I need time to heal. I wish I could tell you everything. I wish I had the courage to share everything with you.. forgive me, sister! Just know that I never meant to hurt anyone. I love you so much. Give the boys my love, I will miss them so much..I will miss you so much. Good bye abla.." and she hung up, bursting out crying.

Bihter boarded the plane, switched off her phone. Her heart was beating fast and hands became sweaty, as she seated herself. It was about time. It was time to finally start over.