Overthinking

Chapter 18

Martina’s POV

The sharp sound of my alarm blared loudly in my ears, dragging me out of sleep.

I groaned and turned slightly, tempted to ignore it, but the pounding headache that hit me forced me to sit up immediately. I held my head tightly, my eyes still shut as the pain throbbed through my temples.

“Oh my God… my head is banging,” I groaned, my voice hoarse.

I stayed like that for a few seconds, trying to gather myself, until flashes of last night began to creep into my mind.

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the dim light in my room.

“I must have had too much to drink,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead. My throat felt dry, and I could still smell alcohol on myself. “How did I even get home last night?” I asked quietly, confusion settling in.

Then suddenly—

My eyes snapped wide open.

“I have to get to work by six!”

I quickly grabbed my phone from beside my pillow and checked the time.

4:07 AM.

“That means I only have less than two hours,” I said, panic rising in my chest.

Without wasting another second, I threw the covers off me and jumped out of bed. My head spun slightly, but I ignored it.

“I can’t be late today,” I said firmly to myself.

Not after yesterday.

Not after being pardoned already.

I can’t afford to lose this job—not now.

And especially not because of something as careless as lateness.

Herrick would definitely not tolerate it again.

I rushed straight into the bathroom, turning on the shower and stepping under the cold water. The chill helped a little, easing my headache and waking me up properly.

By the time I finished bathing, I felt slightly better—still not perfect, but at least functional.

About thirty minutes later, I stood in front of my mirror, dressing up. I adjusted my outfit carefully, making sure everything looked neat and professional.

As I stared at my reflection, pieces of last night began to come back to me—slowly, one after the other.

My expression froze.

My eyes widened.

“Herrick… was at the club last night?” I whispered, staring at myself in disbelief.

My heart skipped.

I remembered seeing him.

Or at least… I think I did.

I frowned, trying to piece everything together.

“What did I even say to him?” I asked under my breath, panic creeping in.

I couldn’t remember clearly.

And that scared me.

A lot.

“I hope I didn’t say anything stupid,” I muttered, pressing my lips together. “Or worse… disrespect him.”

The thought alone made my stomach twist.

If I embarrassed myself in front of him—

Or crossed a line—

“I’m finished,” I whispered.

I let out a frustrated sigh and shook my head.

“Vera!” I called out angrily, even though she wasn’t there. “Why did you drag me to that club?” I muttered under my breath.

Of course, I knew it wasn’t entirely her fault.

I agreed to go.

And I was the one who drank too much.

Still…

“This is exactly why I shouldn’t have gone,” I said quietly.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the thoughts aside. Panicking wouldn’t solve anything.

“I’ll just act normal,” I told myself. “Maybe nothing even happened.”

Yes.

Maybe I was overthinking.

Maybe I only imagined seeing him.

That had to be it.

After finishing dressing up, I picked up my bag and left my room. I walked down the hallway toward my mother’s room and gently pushed the door open.

She was awake already, lying on the bed.

“Mom,” I called softly, smiling as I stepped in.

“Marina, my dear,” she replied warmly, her face lighting up.

I walked closer to her.

“How are you feeling this morning?” she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“I’m okay, Mom,” I replied, nodding.

She studied my face for a moment.

“Vera brought you home very drunk last night,” she said gently. “I hope you’re alright.”

I gave a small, slightly embarrassed smile.

“I’m fine, Mom. I just had a bit too much to drink,” I admitted. “We were celebrating my new job, and I got carried away.”

She sighed lightly but didn’t scold me.

“It’s okay, dear. Just be careful next time,” she said.

“I will,” I promised.

“Are you sober now?” she asked again.

“Yes, Mom. I’m fine,” I said quickly. “And I have to leave soon. I can’t afford to be late.”

“Oh, that’s true,” she said, nodding.

I smiled at her.

“Take care of yourself, okay?” she added.

“I will,” I replied. “And you too—make sure you take your medication on time.”

Even though I knew her caregiver handled everything, I still couldn’t help reminding her.

She nodded with a soft smile.

“I will.”

Satisfied, I leaned forward slightly.

“I’ll see you later, Mom.”

“Have a good day, dear.”

I turned and quickly left the room, heading out of the house.

The early morning air hit my skin the moment I stepped outside. It was cool and quiet, with only a few sounds of distant movement around.

I took a deep breath, adjusting my bag on my shoulder as I started walking.

But the calm morning didn’t match the tension building inside me.

The thought of last night refused to leave my mind.

I still couldn’t clearly remember what happened between me and Herrick.

All I knew was—

I saw him.

Or at least, I think I did.

“What if it wasn’t real?” I muttered.

Maybe it was just the alcohol.

Maybe I imagined everything.

“That has to be it,” I said, trying to convince myself.

Because the alternative…

Was too risky.

Why would Herrick even be at that club?

It wasn’t even the same place where I first met him.

“He can’t possibly be in every club in this city,” I said quietly.

Just then, a taxi approached, and I raised my hand to stop it.

The driver slowed down and pulled over in front of me.

I opened the door and got in.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Morning,” the driver replied.

I gave him the address, and the car started moving.

As we drove through the quiet streets, I leaned back slightly, trying to calm my thoughts.

“No more distractions,” I told myself firmly.

“I just need to focus on my job.”

That’s all that matters.

“I can’t afford to be fired on my first official day as his secretary,” I said under my breath.

The rest of the ride was quiet.

Thankfully, there was no traffic, and we arrived earlier than expected.

The taxi stopped in front of the gate.

I paid the driver, stepped out, and looked ahead.

I was early.

A small sigh of relief escaped my lips.

“At least that’s one problem solved,” I murmured.

I adjusted my outfit slightly, straightened my posture, and took a deep breath.

Whatever happened last night—

I would deal with it if it came up.

But for now—

I needed to be professional.

I steadied myself, then began walking toward the gate.