Inside Abby And Devon's Battle For Dominic On The Young And The Restless

After "The Young and the Restless'" Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) and Chance Chancellor (then Danny Boaz) were married in 2020, things were looking up for the couple (via Soaps In Depth). However, the one thing missing from the equation was a child. It was the next natural step in their progression as a family, but they soon hit a hurdle. Due to a fall that occurred in Abby's previous marriage, she was unable to carry a child to term. On the flip side, Chance suffered an injury during the line of duty, rendering him unable to father his own children.

Following the realization that Abby and Chance would need additional help if they wanted to expand their family, Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) agreed to be a surrogate for the couple (via Soaps). However, they were still missing a sperm donor, and nobody from the sperm bank catalog seemed like the right fit. Then, their problems were solved when Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) offered to father the baby, per Soap Hub.

Agreeing to be a sperm donor for Abby and Chance was only the beginning. The real struggle was to come when Devon's place in the baby's life turned out differently than everyone planned.

Nothing about Abby Newman's plan to start a family with her husband, Chance Chancellor, went according to plan. Soon after they made arrangements, Chance went missing and was presumed dead, per Soap Hub. Abby struggled with her new reality but was able to lean on a strong support system that included Devon Hamilton, Mariah Copeland, and Tessa Porter.

Toward the end of Mariah's pregnancy, Abby's former husband, Ben "Stitch" Rayburn (Sean Carrigan), resurfaced in Genoa City and inserted himself into many aspects of Abby's life (via Soaps in Depth). Though he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, he somehow avoided casting suspicion on himself. However, tensions escalated when Mariah went missing one morning and never returned home. Not only did the woman carrying Abby's child not return, but mysterious texts started coming from her phone, pushing away the people she loved most.

It turned out that Stitch had kidnapped Mariah so that he could play hero for Abby. Luckily, when Mariah went into labor, Devon arrived just in time to deliver the baby — setting the stage for what was to come. He may have been merely a sperm donor in the beginning, but that was destined to change.

After baby Dominic was born, Abby was still hoping that her husband Chance would miraculously return, but in the meantime, she was a single parent. As a result of the impromptu delivery, Devon had bonded with the baby more than he ever imagined he would (via Soaps In Depth). Feeling a closer connection than he was expecting, and with Chance out of the picture, there was potential for Devon to be a father figure in Dominic's life.

Abby refused to believe that Chance was dead, so she left Genoa City on a quest to locate her husband. Devon stepped up to care for Dominic in her absence, bonding them even further. Though he never intended to be a father to his biological child, the circumstances enabled him to be one, and he found he liked the role. Unfortunately for Devon, Abby returned with Chance (now Connor Floyd), alive and well, and he had to take a step back.

Giving the baby back to Chance and Abby was painful for Devon, but it was the right thing to do. Chance, though, struggled with being a father and connecting with Dominic, which worried Devon. As a result, Devon decided to sue for shared custody of his son in a move that shocked everyone (via Soaps Spoilers).

Nobody expected Devon Hamilton to request shared custody of baby Dominic. In theory, Devon was simply a sperm donor, and that typically would've been the full extent of his involvement. Yes, he and Abby Newman have been close friends for years, but Mariah Copeland also carried the baby, and she didn't formally request anything. However, not only was Devon insistent, but he had the backing of his girlfriend, Amanda Sinclair (Mishael Morgan), a high-powered attorney who would've found every plausible reason for a court to grant him custody (Soap Hub). 

Eventually, after some convincing, Abby and Chance agreed to the arrangement, signing official documents granting Devon joint custody of the baby (via Soaps). The situation could've destroyed years of friendship between Abby and Devon, but luckily, cooler heads prevailed, and everyone decided that more love would be best for the child. In doing so, the last name Winters was added to Dominic's legal name, as a tribute to Devon's father, Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John), who tragically died in 2019.

Since the custody arrangement for Dominic became official, Abby and Chance have continued drifting further apart. Meanwhile, Devon and Abby have taken things to the next level. Their bond over their shared biological child has connected them more than ever, ultimately leading them to sleep together. With Abby's marriage now over, Dominic's custody could be in the air again.