6

LONDON

I woke up with a hammering headache. The event of last night came crashing through me like a wave. I had no regrets about my behavior, though.

Heat radiated through my chest at the thought of being single again. I didn’t know I needed that bad to be out of a relationship that I’d wasted the six months of my life investing in it. For what? Sex? Attention? To be relevant? I didn’t even know I was that desperate.

It became clear that I didn’t need a man or a relationship to have a better life. Besides, I’d never depended my life on any man. So, why now?

I rose and searched for a painkiller bottle in the medicine cabinet. Then my pills caught my attention. I refused to take it despite sometimes having nightmares and terrible falling asleep. I still chose to drink tea, which helped somehow.

I took a caplet of painkillers.

After I took a shower, I wore my working clothes and put my sunglasses on before heading down, where I knew Striker would be waiting for me.

My face warme