If I go down, you go down

At Mayor Parker's Mansion, a meeting was in progress, Parker and his three associates were held up in a discussion when Carina floundered into the parlour. She was drunk and could hardly maintain her balance. After Shark's puzzlement, she willed herself to liquor. She didn't want to be that obedient daughter, always following her Dad's orders.

Parker and his colleagues were suddenly startled by the sound of someone hitting the ground.

"Ouch!" Carina hissed painfully trying to collect herself from the floor.

"Are you okay?" One of his colleagues rushed to her while Parker hid his face with his hands clearly disappointed by her.

"Do I look like I'm okay? F*ck off!" She pushed him away getting up on her own.

"Your daughter is getting out of control.... we'll see you some other time. It seems like you have to babysit a grown up woman." One short middle aged man sounded sarcastically.

"My apologies. She's going through a lot." Mayor Parker came to her defense.

"Oh really? Oh Dad, I'm fluttered..." Carina made an attempt to hug her father but ended up sprawling to the ground.

"Let's get out of here." The man who had earlier reached out to her said while shaking his head in disbelief.

"Hey! Where are you going? I'm not drunk you fools! Get back here." She supported her hands on the couch and sat up straight.

"Mia! Mia!" Parker called out for his house manager.

"Hey listen, my father is a bloody liar, don't let him get into your heads. He embezzled all the public money and now he's poor. He's one greedy man I know, can you believe he manipulated me to marry the richest man in Aston? He not only wants to squander the Griffins money but also get everything they own. This man here is ruthless and if I were you, I'd stay away. He's a social parasite.....run before he blocks your intestines." She blubbered a lot as the trio walked out stunned by Parker's malicious schemes.

"Out of my sight, now!" Parker hit her hard across the temple and she knelt down on the floor bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

"That wasn't enough...you think everyone else is dumb like you? Oh Daddy, you are nothing without me. If it were not for my endorsements, you'll be probably crawling in abject poverty." She blurted out.

The house manager rushed to take her to her room but she shoved her away.

"Can't believe you're also obeying this old man here... he's no saint. Giving you little pennies every month for washing his balls? You deserve better than he does. Be a good girl and quit working for him." She played with Mia's apron straps.

"Both of you get out!" Mayor Parker burned with rage not knowing his colleagues were still around, drawing evidence to get him out of their way.

"We should have thought twice about electing him as our mayor. Danny, prepare an impromptu meeting, he's going down."

"Of course Mr. Miller." His personal assistant took out his tablet and sent a text to all their associates. James Miller was Mayor Parker's rival and he had showed up in his mansion to sign a one-year partnership in business before the next general elections. He was aware Mayor Parker had something to do with the missing money from the public monetary policy account. Now that his own daughter had revealed his plans, he knew what to do. It was time to cast him out and have him arrested for embezzling public funds.

The trio walked into their van and it pulled away from Parker's Mansion. Meanwhile, Carina struggled to get to her feet as Mia rummaged her room to park everything she had, ready to leave the mansion.

"You've lost everything and believe me you, if I go down, you go down too." She hissed.

"Where will you go after this? Nowhere, you and I know there's nothing left in your bank account. I took all the money because it rightfully belongs to me. You should be grateful that I've tried my best to raise you since your mother's death. Sometimes I do regret why I agreed to take you in after your useless mother cheated on me."

"I've always known that you're not my biological father...the way you treat me like I'm nothing shows it all. Well, it all ends today and you won't have to see my face ever again." She smiled to herself and staggered to her room. She opened the bedside cabin and took out documents and stuffed them into her purse.

"If I can't have Shark all to myself at least I can have your hidden properties....a dramatic exit." She thought to herself and walked out of her room without any luggage. She didn't need to take anything else other than his contracts she had earlier taken from his safe. She had them signed under her name to take full control of his estranged father. Carina had long known the latter was not her biological father and since then, she had to gain his amassed wealth which she believed were due to her mother's hard work. Her mother might have died but she wasn't, nothing mattered to her than seeing her father crumbling down and begging her to redeem his lost pride.

She got down and took her mother's photo from the cupboard. She drew closer to him and said,

"I'm taking her along with me, you never loved her anyways."

"She was a cheap woman, just like you. Maybe your father has got more details about her. I doubt if you'll ever find him." He chuckled and climbed the stairs. Carina sighed deeply and sauntered to the threshold where their house manager stood.

"I can give you a ride home. C'mon, let's go." She hoped into her salon car and waited for Mia to get in. All the alcohol haze in her system was totally used up and she could clearly think as she pulled away from the home she had lived for over twenty and seven years of her life.