Twist of Fate | Zoyet - Gossip Girl Reboot

Maternal Reflections

Zoya's incredulous voice reverberates through the room. "You told your mom we got married?! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?!" She remains in disbelief, scanning through news articles that feature Camille's announcement of Monet's marriage to her.

Monet, attempting to defend her actions, responds, "I had to tell her; the de Haan legal team is under her retainer. Anything I ask of them, she would have found out anyway. I didn't tell you because I didn't think you needed to know. I never would have thought she would release this news." The tension hangs thick in the air as Zoya processes this unexpected revelation.

Zoya's frustration intensifies. "What am I supposed to say to Julien? Or My dad? He is going to see this, and he is going to freak out!" She expresses her anger. "I knew I should have gone to him and had this handled through him; it's always complicated when it comes to you, de Haans."

Monet, defensive, retorts, "Hey, just because my mom did this does not give you a pass to insult my entire family. Our marriage is public record; I'm sure someone would have found out with a Google search of our names, Zoya." Monet's anger rises as she speaks. Although she recognizes Zoya's right to be upset, she doesn't believe it justifies speaking negatively about her family. The room remains charged with tension.

Zoya storms out of the room, frustration evident in her voice. "Moving in here with you was a mistake! I am moving out!" The door slams shut behind her.

"Fine by me! That's all you're good at anyway!" Monet shouts back, her anger echoing in the room.

In a fit of anger, Zoya rushes back into the bedroom, hastily grabbing her suitcase and beginning to repack. Just as she's engrossed in this frustrating task, Monet abruptly barges in, carrying a box that she unceremoniously tosses onto Zoya's bed. Annoyed, Zoya reminds her, "Hey, we still have rules about boundaries until I move out."

Ignoring Zoya's complaint, Monet empties the box's contents, revealing a collection of items that belong to Zoya. "Here, you forgot these things last time you moved out. Make sure you take them with you, or I'll burn them," Monet declares, the tension between them escalating.

Before Zoya can respond to Monet, her phone rings, displaying Julien's name on the screen—a call she has been dreading since the news about her marriage to Monet leaked. Taking a deep breath, she answers the phone, her tone cautious, "Julien, hey, let me explain..."

"When did you and Monet get married, Zoya?!" Julien's voice echoes through the phone.

"In Vegas," Zoya confesses, her tone filled with regret, "we got drunk after you kicked us out of your bachelorette party, and one thing led to another. We're trying to get it fixed. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I don't want to hear it. I swear it feels like you and Monet want to ruin every part of my wedding. First, my engagement party, then the bachelorette party, and now this news right before my wedding day?! I will not have either of you cause more drama at my wedding. I don't want you there and tell your newlywed wife I don't want her there either," Julien retorts and hangs up the phone.

Zoya couldn't shake off the overwhelming guilt after the phone call with Julien. The excitement she once felt about celebrating her sister's big day now turned into a sense of responsibility to make amends. As she sat on the bed, her gaze shifted to the items Monet had thrown from the box of her belongings. Among them were a hoodie, her books, journals, and some vinyl records. Zoya wondered why Monet hadn't returned these items sooner or discarded them – a response she would have anticipated from her. The room felt tense, and the weight of their recent actions hung heavily in the air.

*****

"She should have told me that she had already informed her mother. We established these rules precisely to avoid this mess. It's not fair that I kept our marriage hidden from my family while she freely shared it with her mother, knowing that she would use that type of information for her own benefit," Zoya expressed in their second counseling session. Zoya couldn't contain her frustration. She looked directly at the marriage counselor, her words charged with disappointment.