Chapter 2 It would be that simple

With Ivy in her arms, Scarlett ascended in the elevator. The only thing that made her dislike her job was having to drop Ivy off at the daycare located on the second floor of the company's building. Although she knew it wouldn't happen, she wished Ivy would be with her constantly.

She exited the elevator as it slammed open and entered the daycare's foyer.

"Hey, you." From behind the desk, Sofi spotted Scarlett coming toward her and smiled.

"Hi. "Where is Andy?" While searching for her other best friend, Scarlett questioned Sofi.

"Inside, with the other children. How she never becomes weary of their cries is beyond me. In response, she stood up and walked around the desk in Scarlett's direction. "Hey, cutie." Looking down at Ivy in Scarlett's arms, she grinned.

The expression on Ivy's face made Scarlett smile. It was the same one that she experienced when she saw Sofi and Andy. She was looking at Sofi with a grim look, blinking regularly like one of those episodes of Tom and Jerry when they go blink blink blink.

As Sofi reached for Ivy and repositioned her in her arms, her face took on a lovely expression. In a matter of seconds, Ivy's expression altered as Sofi started talking to her in baby language, which was nothing but total nonsense. However, who was Ivy to interrupt the conversation if it made her smile?

After leaving Ivy and Sofi, Scarlett went inside the daycare to find Andy.

Since Scarlett joined Freddie and Co. five years ago, Scarlett, Miranda, and Sofia have been buddies. They clicked right away and have remained friends ever since. Just like she was aware of Sofia's family and Miranda's marital troubles, they were also aware of the adoption and everything else. She was completely thankful to them for rekindling her desire to adopt and for promising to support her if she ever needed it. Both of them served as Ivy's godmothers, and Scarlett was still unsure about whether it was the best or worst choice she had ever made. As evidenced by the several birthday presents they purchased for Ivy last week, they lavished her with attention at every opportunity. They managed the daycare, which was fortunate. Knowing that Andy and Sofi would be there with her Munchkin made it easier for Scarlett to leave Ivy there.

At least according to her parents, Sofia was a rebel in her family. They wanted her to work in the family's fashion business, but she decided to follow her path and ended up caring for children at Freddie and Co., where she fell in love. Her parents had cut her off, so she had initially applied for the job to have a source of income while she looked for another one. However, she was now just like Miranda, who loved children more than she liked people her age. Like her, Miranda came from a modest middle-class household. She lost faith in humanity because she trusted people so readily. She focused on what she did best, which was caring for children. Since they all became friends, she had been in a single relationship, which Scarlett and Sofi knew was poisonous. After she allowed someone inside, Miranda simply struggled to let go. Her boyfriend, Derek, was a jerk. They all knew it, but Miranda didn't want to let go of him because she secretly hoped he would return to the person she had met, something Sofi and Scarlett believed would never happen.

When Scarlett saw Andy with the other children, she was beaming. Miranda, who goes by Andy, loves kids, but she freaked out when she and Sofi mentioned having some of her own.

Andy called "Scarlett" as soon as she saw her. "Where's the little princess?"

Before Scarlett could say another word, Andy left the children with the other staff members and went out into the lobby, where Sofi and Ivy were, after she stated, "With Sofi." Shaking her head, Scarlett followed.

"Hi, princess." Andy addressed Ivy in a cartoon-like manner. "It's me, Andy."

Ivy mumbled something like "candy" while grinning.

Miranda screamed out loud.

"Close, but you can do better." "To Ivy," she said.

Andy was told by Sofi, "She's one Andy, leave her alone,"

"You're just jealous she got to say my name first," Andy said.

"I'm pretty sure she said Candy." Andy and Sofi continued to argue.

Both of them had been attempting to get Ivy to utter their names ever since she began speaking.

"All right. I'll see you all at lunch, and I'm going to depart now." They were kissing Ivy on the temple when Scarlett broke the silence. "Goodbye, lovely. I'll see you later, Mommy."

"Momma." Ivy drooled.

Ivy looked back and forth between her pals as Scarlett left her, still arguing.

Ready to get to work, she entered the elevator and pushed the number to her floor.

Maxwell was starting to lose patience. Since the day he learned he had a daughter, he had been unable to concentrate.

What if she was in pain somewhere?

Since then, he hadn't heard from Tom, and he couldn't help but wonder whether he had learned anything new about his daughter. Maxwell let out a deep sigh.

"Mister? Mr. Lobos has come to visit with you. Maxwell's office was filled with Claire's voice.

He said to her, "Let him in."

She replied, "Yes sir."

After a few seconds, Tom entered his office.

"Tom." When he said, "Tell me you have something," Maxwell stood up. I had been waiting for a week because of you."

He sat down and said, "Actually, I have everything." "Well, all that there is anyway."

Maxwell let out a sigh of comfort.

"Great."

"All right. I learned that on the day your late wife gave birth in April, she placed her up for adoption. Two months later, Scarlett Bennett expressed interest in your daughter, and nine months later, the adoption was completed."

Maxwell performed the arithmetic and remarked, "So, my daughter was adopted by this Scarlett Bennett this year,"

Tom gave a nod.

He said, "What do you have on her?"

"She works at Freddie and Co. Single, is 27 years old, and had a summa cum laude degree from UCLA. Parents, you live alone."

"Tom, I only need to know that. Have you got her address? Before Tom could give him all the details about her, Maxwell said.

"Of course," he replied, scrawling it on a sheet of paper Maxwell had given him. "What exactly do you plan on doing sir?"

"I'll demand my child from her when I visit her home. I'll give her the money she requires to cover all of her previous work. "Frank," Maxwell said.

"That's not a smart concept, in my opinion. That's not the type of woman Ms. Bennett is. She already maintains a trust fund for your daughter, and based on my research, she leads a comfortable life. She also has custody and all rights to the child. Because this adoption was closed, it would not matter in court even if you were the child's biological father. I do know that the only reason you weren't contacted throughout the adoption was because your late wife had left your name off of your child's birth certificate."

Maxwell gave it some thinking.

"So, you're saying I should do nothing."

Tom let out a sigh.

"When you take this to court, I'm suggesting you should find a right angle that would matter. You may be granted visiting privileges if you just enter the room, present them with a DNA sample, and provide them with a note from your wife's therapist stating that she was not competent to sign the birth certificate without your name.

Maxwell gave Tom a sharp look.

"I don't want visiting rights!" "Oh," he said.

"Exactly." Tom replied, "So, think this through and find a logical way that would make the court think hard about the closed adoption."

Maxwell took a swallow. Tom's explanation of the court concept did not sit well with him at all.

"How long would that take?"

"Months." Tom retorted, "Since we have nothing to start with, we would have to search for proof, which would take three to four months. Then bringing legal action and..."

"I can't wait that long."

He let out a sigh as he searched his mind for what to do next.

He was unable to think of one that would be quicker. Even worse was the judicial issue. He wanted to hold his daughter as quickly as possible. Without going to court or hiring attorneys, he would simply need to figure out how to get his daughter what he wants. Maxwell didn't want the media to learn of this, in addition to the fact that he didn't want to wait so long to hold his daughter. He didn't like that he would become the focus of the media if this went to court. To him, the notion that all press is good press was nonsense. The story would be twisted in so many different ways that the following generation would still be attempting to determine which version was correct. He didn't want to expose his daughter to that kind of life at such a young age, and he couldn't take that chance. He needed to accomplish this without being noticed. He had to do something that would not attract the notice of the press.

"How old did you say this woman was again?"

"27," Tom answered.

"And single." A Cheshire smile appeared on his lips and widened as he spoke, mirroring the scheme that suddenly materialized in his mind.

He intended to grow close to her, earn her trust, have his child, and then break up with her.

It would be that simple.

Maxwell grinned as he pondered.

It was going to be enjoyable.