Nadezhda Afanasyevna Bulgakova was the second younger sister of the famous writer Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov. She loved her brother very much, and this feeling was mutual, as confirmed by their preserved correspondence. Nadezhda was born in 1893 and was the third child in the family. She graduated from the Kyiv Women's Gymnasium and then moved to Moscow, where she continued her studies at the philological faculty of the Higher Women's Courses. She successfully completed these courses during World War I.

Nadezhda was a beautiful girl and in 1917 married Andrei Mikhailovich Zemskov. After obtaining a civilian education, he completed an accelerated course in the Kyiv artillery division and was sent to Tsarskoye Selo. At that time, officers were in danger solely because of their status, and the country was engulfed in chaos. In the autumn of 1917, after the Bolsheviks came to power, the Zemskovs fled first to Moscow and then to Samara, where anti-communist power was established by KOMUCH, and life became more peaceful. Nadezhda worked as a teacher but lost her first child, which was a heavy blow for her.

Upon returning to Moscow, Nadezhda Afanasyevna became a mother two more times and was happy in her family life. In 1921, she gladly took in her brother Mikhail and his first wife, and later provided him with housing on several occasions. Their friendship remained strong throughout their lives, and Mikhail became the godfather of her daughter.

In 1931, Nadezhda's husband was arrested on false charges, and she lost her job. It was not until 1934 that she managed to reunite with him. During this time, Mikhail's health deteriorated due to harassment, and he began taking morphine again, finding solace in the company of loved ones. The sisters were by his side until the end. After his death, Nadezhda lived for another 31 years and died in 1971 from a hypertensive crisis.