TIFU I withdrew my application but still got the interview — now I’m unsure what to expect

Hi everyone, I’m in a confusing but hopeful situation and could really use some perspective or advice.

A few weeks ago, I applied for a role I was genuinely excited about. After about 20 days of no updates, I decided to withdraw my application, thinking maybe getting referred by someone else would increase my chances.

I withdrew my application on a Tuesday. After that, I approached someone internally for a referral — but he said he couldn’t refer me since I was already in the system. I wasn’t sure if the withdrawal had properly processed, or if something else was preventing it.

Then something unexpected happened — on Thursday (just two days later), I received an interview invite from HR. I was surprised but thrilled and went ahead with the interview. It went really well, and I felt confident and optimistic afterward.

Now I’m wondering:

Could the earlier withdrawal affect my chances, even after a good interview?

Might the system flag me or create internal confusion with the hiring team?

Should I proactively mention this at any stage, or just wait it out?

Has anyone been through something similar, where a withdrawn application still led to an interview?

I'm honestly still very excited about this role and didn’t mean to cause any confusion — I was just trying to increase my chances. I really hope it doesn’t backfire.

Would appreciate any insights or advice. Thanks so much in advance!

TL;DR:

I withdrew my job application to try for a referral, but then got an interview invite anyway and completed it. The interview went really well, but now I'm worried the withdrawal might cause confusion or rejection. Wondering if anyone's faced this before or if I should say something