"Isabella? Who TF is Isabella?" Tracy asked raising her eyebrows.

"My daughter"

" Your daughter? Sorry but I don't know any Isabella".

"You do, your adopted daughter Hailey" he said and Tracy went numb.

" What! Sorry you are mistaken, you might have come to the wrong address". Tracy flared up.

" I'm not mistaken miss. Tracy, you are the adopted mother of Isabella, you found her in Good Will Orphanage six years ago and took her in" Lucas said and she felt her blood run cold.

" She's your daughter?" She stuttered blinking her eye lids.

" No...no... I don't believe you" she said shaking her head vigorously.

" I have proof miss. Tracy, see..." Lucas brought out his phone and showed her a photo of him posing with Isabella when she was a baby. He was cuddling her in the photo and another where Hailey looked so tiny.

"That was the day she was born" he explained.

Tracy was speechless. That photo was real. That wasn't a Photoshop. Everything there was real. The realization hit her like a blow.

There were times she imagined someone coming out to lay claim on Hailey but she usually waved the thoughts aside. After all, she would say, Hailey was abandoned, why would anyone look for her.

Now it's happening, someone is here saying Hailey is his daughter. No, she won't allow it. She'll fight for Hailey.

"You know what?" She rose to her feet, "you've overstayed your welcome and I suggest you leave" she gestured to the door.

"Calm down miss. Tracy, I know you might have spent so much on my daughter but don't worry, I'll pay you handsomely, how much do you want? Just name your price and I'll pay you" He said arrogantly.

Tracy widened her eyes in disbelief, " How dare you? Are you trying to buy me off? You're so inconsiderate, I'm not letting Hailey go, if you want a fight, alright I'll give you a fight but I'm not letting go of my daughter".

Cole saw things were getting heated and knew he had to do something.

"I'm sorry Tracy, we came to meet with you properly" Cole said calmly in a bid to pacify Tracy.

" Meet properly?" She scoffed, "is this your definition of meeting properly, please just leave". She yelled and pointed at the door.

" Tracy, you are being stubborn, I want my daughter now or else ....." He hardly finished his sentence when she cut him off.

" Or else what?" She yelled, " get out of my house".

" I'm not a very patient person, Miss. Tracy, I need Isabella, just bring her out".

" You know what! I don't care.... You were not here when I raised her, when I changed her diapers, when she said her first words, oh .... you were not even here when she lost her first tooth. I was here with her, I love her and hell no... I'm not letting her go... So I advise you get out of here" She was already raising her voice but she didn't care.

"I have more right to the kid, I'm her biological father" Lucas said.

" Noooo.... Please Mr. Hernandez, just leave" she walked towards the door and pulled it open. "Out!!!".

" Emmm.... Miss. Tracy, can we at least see the kid?"Cole asked.

" No... She's out for the weekend" she deadpanned.

"Alright" Cole sighed in resolve. He saw the determination in her eyes and knew there was no way they would convince her.

"We're not done with this conversation, visit me tomorrow with the Isabella at this address" Lucas gave her a card and stumped out.

Cole gave her an apologetic look and went after Lucas.

Apart from Tracy standing in the middle of the room in shock and the empty glass of wine on the table, there was no evidence that they were visitors a while ago.

Tracy stood still in shock. Everything seemed so surreal, she walked towards the couch and lowered herself on it bursting into tears.

******

"Damn Arielle!" Lucas yelled scattering the bed, " I can't believe this".

" Calm down Lucas" Cole said reaching out to touch him, "You know, You were so rude to Tracy earlier, you should have been grateful to the lady, she raised your daughter".

" I know okay, I shouldn't have spoken to her in that manner, I was just too angry to think properly" Lucas sighed exasperatedly.

Cole sighed. Everything seems so messed up. " Ok.... How about we visit the orphanage maybe we can get the matron to talk to her, she might listen to the elderly lady... "

" Wow... " Lucas said as a smile crept to his face, "wonderful idea, why didn't I think of this before? Come on Cole, let's go there now, delay is dangerous".

" Alright LuLu" he teased knowing how much Lucas detest the name. Lucas glared at him and made to spank him, Cole knew what was coming for him and dashed out before Lucas caught up with him.

******

The door bell rang and Tracy sat up cleaning her tears. She already knew who was at the door.

She had already called Sharon so she just got up and opened the door revealing Sharon who was holding her son Jace and Hailey who was licking a lollipop happily.

"Momma" Hailey flew into her arms, "you look sad mama, is there any problem, I was so worried when aunt brought me home today instead of tomorrow?"

Tracy was touched by her care, is this the child they want her to part with? Never.

"I'm fine darling, momma's just stressed" Tracy smiled sadly, " now be a good girl and go play with Jace upstairs, your aunt and I need to talk".

" Sure momma" Hailey gave her a peck and half dragged Jace who though can walk could not keep up with her pace.

"Please be careful Hailey" Sharon chided.

"Aunt Sha Sha, Jace is a big boy" she said and unlock the door getting into her room.

Once Hailey was out of ear reach, Tracy bursted into tears. Sharon walked up to her and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay bestie, let it all out...." Sharon patted her back, the tempo of her tears increase.

" It's alright" Sharon said rubbing her friend's back.

Slowly, they disengaged from the hug. Tracy wiped her tears and sat down on the couch.

Sharon sat down close to her, "I had to come here immediately you called, what happened? ".

" Hailey's dad was here" Tracy said blinking back tears.

Sharon was confused, "Hailey's dad?"

"Yeah, a man showed up and told me he was Hailey's dad, he even called her a different name, Isabella.... He showed me pictures of Hailey when she was born...." She paused and sobbed,"He wanted to take my daughter away from me.... I don't want to be separated from my child, Sharon.... I don't want my baby to be taken away from me"

Sharon was stunned, " woah! Never expected someone would show up for the kid, it's been six years... Why now? "

" I don't know... " Tracy cried ," but no one is taking Hailey from me...." She said, her face fierce with determination.

" This man, were you able to get any personal information from him?" Sharon asked.

" Well, he said his name is Lucas Hernandez.... "

" Is that the only thing he told you? "

" Yeah" Tracy said.

" Wow... How can you be so dumb?" Sharon glared at her, " You didn't even ask him the basic things, like who is Hailey's real mother, how did he get separated from her, and why he's only looking for her now, I bet you just overreacted and chased him out..."

Tracy bit her lips in embarrassment, " I wasn't thinking properly, I overreacted, I didn't even ask him any of those questions, besides he was really rude to me, he even offered to pay me off for taking care of Hailey".

" He did that?" Sharon asked widening her eyes in disbelief.

Tracy shrugged.

"Geez.... I wish I was here earlier, I would have dealt with him" Sharon said angrily.

" Uh, you can't even hurt a fly" Tracy mocked.

" What?" Sharon gasped dramatically placing a hand on her chest.

"You heard me" Tracy said, "So what are we going to do about him? " She asked adjusting on the couch.

Sharon said nothing instead she got up from the couch heading to where Tracy's desktop was, she turned on the computer and typed in the password which was their names merged together ~Shacy~. She clicked on the search box and turned to Tracy, "what do you say his name is?"

"Oh so you're searching for more information about him?" Tracy asked realization dawning on her. She didn't even think of that.

" Of course dummy"

"His name is Lucas Hernandez" she said as Sharon typed in