When Adam and Dana Carrington realized they could never have a child through conventional means, they turned to alternatives. For Adam, adoption was out of the question, so they chose to use a surrogate mother. One who was highly recommended was Karen Atkinson, a divorced mother. Immediately Adam thought she was perfect, but Dana had her concerns. It was finally decided and Karen went through the fertilization process and became pregnant with Adam's child. Soon after, Karen's husband Jesse came to Denver. His presence there stirred up trouble for Karen and the Carringtons. For Karen, Jesse revealed that they were not divorced, but still legally man and wife. For the Carringtons, Sean Rowan, who was seeking revenge upon the family, hired Jesse. Sean brought Jesse to Denver to be Adam Carrington's worst nightmare - and he succeeded. After Karen gave birth to a son, she refused to give him over to Adam and Dana. A custody battle soon followed. Adam bribed Jesse, and his actions disgusted Dana, who was beginning to see Adam in a new light. In a surprising move in court, Dana announced that she felt Karen should keep the child. In the end, the Carringtons lost the baby to the Atkinsons. Adam lost Dana as well. "We could have had it all," Dana told Adam.