Love Is Blind's Bliss explains why she gave Zack a second chance: 'People make mistakes'

Warning: This article contains spoilers about Love Is Blind season 4, episodes 1-8.

To all the Love Is Blind viewers hoping that Bliss would reject Zack when he came crawling back to her after his engagement to Irina crashed and burned, season 4's second batch of episodes delivered massive disappointment. Bliss couldn't be happier that Zack reconnected with her outside the pods, despite the fact that he previously dumped her and proposed to Irina. And by the end of episode 8, "Pick Me," Bliss said yes to Zack's second proposal on the show, and they were back on track for a finale wedding despite not leaving the pods engaged to each other.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Bliss tells EW. "Because of the strong connection that we built, I was going to give an opportunity for a second chance. Because I believe that this was my person, and I was right. So I think that there's always opportunity to hear people out, even if you feel wronged and all of that. It's so important to be able to give that space for grace. That's not always an easy path to take, but I had strong feelings, and I know that he had strong feelings for me too. I know that he loved me. People make mistakes, and sometimes losing something just makes you realize how much you really, really wanted that and how much that was truly the right thing for you."

EW spoke with Bliss about why she said yes to Zack's proposal, what you don't see in the episodes, and more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: At what point did Zack reach out to you in the real world?

BLISS POUREETEZADI: Pretty quickly after they got back from Mexico. It was a year ago, so I don't know the exact number of days but yeah, pretty quickly.

Was it a text, an email, a call? How did he first contact you?

We didn't have a direct line of communication to each other — I didn't have his phone number or anything, so the producers helped to coordinate that. Zack reached out to them and then they reached out to me and helped coordinate a meet-up.

So you didn't talk to him at all before that first moment in the restaurant when you saw each other for the first time outside the pods?

We did not, nope.

Did you agree right away to meet with him or did you consider not meeting him?

I immediately was wondering, "What is this discussion going to be about?" I had such a love for him and I really do believe in second chances. I was nervous. I was definitely cautious because I don't know what I'm walking into, but I want to practice what I preach and I believe in second chances, so I was like, "Okay, I'll hear him out."

You didn't get the big reveal moment after you'd been talking in the pods, so what was that like finally seeing him in person?

You know what? It felt like a big reveal, let me tell you, because it was in public. I felt that level of nerves, of this huge buildup. And I didn't know what his status was at that point either. Honestly though, the second that I opened the door, we just locked eyes and there was this really intense chemistry. It was very shocking and surprising, but it's one of those cheesy moments where everything else disappears and you zoom in. It was very, very unexpected. And then it was weird hearing his voice connecting to the physical body — I think everyone has gone through this process, it totally took me right back to the pods. It's such a weird experience.

At what point did you decide to forgive him and give your relationship a second chance?

After our conversation at the cafe and just feeling what I had felt in the pods, that this was my person. I knew it with every fiber of my being. Forgiveness is something that hasn't always come easy to me throughout my life, but this opportunity to be able to forgive someone that I love and give them a second opportunity just felt so right to me. It catapulted me into this new echelon of grace and forgiveness.

What didn't we see in the episodes that helps explain why you decided to say yes to his very quick proposal?

Oh my gosh, so much. Our conversations were a really big thing for us. Owls are my sign from the universe, my affirmation of, "You're on the right path," and so when that we had that moment, it just connected us so deeply. And then the song, that was also super, super impactful. On his birthday you see that I'm giving him the cupcakes [in the pods], but there's also a book there called Red Rising by Pierce Brown, and that's one of my favorite book series. We share a really strong love of books and discussing books, and we just connected so deeply, truly on every single level. We're not the same person, but the way that we compliment each other, it just feels almost perfect. I knew this was my person and I was right.

Were you shocked that he proposed to you so soon after ending his engagement to Irina and restarting your relationship?

Did I look shocked? Because I was shocked. [Laughs] I was very shocked. I just thought we were hanging out on a boat. I had no idea. I probably would've worn a different outfit if I knew, but it was probably better that I didn't know because I probably would've been way more nervous and it wouldn't have been so easygoing and relaxing.

Did you think this was even a possibility for you, to get engaged and prepare to walk down the aisle on the show, given how different your journey was in the pods and afterwards? This is the first time that we've ever seen a couple get back together outside of the pods and prepare to have a wedding in the finale.

Leaving the pods, I did not think that was going to be a possibility. And then when we got back together, that just wasn't even something that really entered my mind. I was wondering, "What's going on here? They're continuing to have a story here, but maybe [the cameras] just want to follow our story." So I didn't think that it was going to come to this. I did not expect the proposal. I did not expect for us to be walking down the aisle. I'm so happy and grateful for it, but it was not something that had crossed my mind.

Was that even more stressful for you, having to plan your wedding in even less time than everyone else had (which was already not much time at all)?

[Laughs] Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think we had a little over two weeks from when we got engaged, so it was a lot. I would not have been able to do it unless I had that firm knowing that this was my person.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Episodes 1-8 of Love Is Blind season 4 are now streaming on Netflix. New episodes drop Fridays.

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