Zophisa POV

"She refuses to let anyone help her," the makeup artist stressed from the other side of the room door.

I heard a soft knock on the door and a woman spoke, "Honey, can I come in?" Her voice was soft, like a mother's.

"No," I called, innocently. I turned back to the mirror and continued to do my makeup. I only let the hair stylist stay in the room long enough to straighten my hair and put rollers in it.

"You need to let someone help you," she pleaded. She didn't have an Italian accent, which was weird. Luka wanted me to wear the dress and wouldn't accept the fact that I couldn't.

"I'm fine, thank you," I replied. My phone started to buzz and I quickly picked it up, answering it.

"Yer," I answered.

"What's up, Zo?" Adrian asked. I got up and walked to the window and closed the blinds out of habit.

"You got something for me?" I asked, we always talked in slight code when we used the phone, just in case.

"Nah, I'm just calling to tell you congratulations. I love you Zoey," he said.

"I love you too," I mumbled.

I heard shuffling in the phone before a new voice spoke, "Hey baby girl, how you feeling?" My mom asked.

"I'm not about to lie, I miss y'all so much," I confessed.

"No tears baby," my mom scolded, "I didn't raise a punk."

"Zoey!" Sincere called, "you better not come back with a baby. I'll kill that Russian motherfucker." He must not have been holding the phone because he sounded far away.

"He's Italian you dickhead," I said, rolling my eyes.

"You already taking up for him! You ain't even known him for ten minutes!" He yelled.

"You better stop cussing in my ear before I beat your ass," my mom threatened.

"You ain't gone do-" Sincere was cut off by a smack, she must've hit him because I heard him whimper.

"Where's pops?" I asked, realizing I hadn't heard his voice. There was a pause.

"He can't talk now," Adrian answered.

"I'm 4,000 miles away, I'm not stupid," I deadpanned.

There was more shuffling before I heard my mom's voice, "Don't worry about him right now, Zo. You can't let anything distract you, stay focused."

"Let me talk to Adrian," I demanded. If this was a cartoon, smoke would be coming from my ears. I gave them very specific instructions before I left and they've already fucked up.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," I replied.

There was more shuffling then Adrian spoke, "What's up?"

"You know what's up; I told you to watch him!" I seethed.

"I don't understand why you treat him like a child. He's a grown ass man, Zoey," Adrian argued.

"A grown ass man who's mouth almost got us all killed. I'm paying the price for what he did and I'll be damned if he dies while I'm stuck out here. We've been building this thing since I was twelve, we can't let him fuck it up. So, I don't care if you have to sedate him and drag him back to the house, find him and make sure he stays this time. And the bastard just got shot, he shouldn't be on his own anyway," I pointed out. I haven't been putting my life on the line all this time to not come out on top.

Adrian sighed, "Alright, I got you."

"Don't make me regret leaving," I said.

"Shut up and go get married, I love you Zizzy," Adrian said.

"Stop calling me that," I whined, "I love you too."

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Listen, I know it's been a while. We're just going to ignore it okay? Okay cool. But we got a tiny glimpse of soft Zophisa at the very end. Do you think she'll let her guard down for Luka? Why do you think she refuses to wear the dress? Where do you think their father is? Maybe you'll find out soon 🤷🏾

Xox- NX