In the CEO's office, Steffy and Finn kissed. She loved that he'd been able to sneak away from the hospital to spend time with her. Glad to hear that the procedure he'd been scheduled to do had gotten rescheduled, Steffy locked the door. Finn said they had to keep stealing those moments and not let Bill and Sheila get to them.
Later, Finn and Steffy finished kissing. They discussed Bill's incredulous behavior. Steffy was perplexed by her father's behavior, too. She said Ridge, who'd been gone for months, checked in occasionally, "but where is he? And why isn't he here to help us?" Jokingly, she asked if Ridge had moved without telling them.
Finn assured his wife that Ridge would be back, and karma would take care of Sheila. At that moment, Finn wanted to enjoy his wife and honor his vow to have and hold her for eternity.
In the design office, Brooke and Katie talked about Brooke's effort to be supportive of Thomas' return to Hope's line for Hope's sake. Katie mentioned that Carter had been shocked by Thomas' return. Katie said she was glad to have the supportive Carter during the rough time with Bill. Noting that Bill was so secretive, she wondered what he was really up to with Sheila.
Katie didn't know how Bill could turn his back on his kids, and she wondered why he couldn't see how destructive he was being. Brooke replied that it was as if Bill didn't care anymore. Katie didn't get why Bill would throw everything away for "a psycho." Katie wanted to believe Bill was in there somewhere and would return to them. Brooke replied that when that happened, Sheila would be out of their lives forever.
At Bill's house, Sheila was suspicious of Bill's marriage proposal. Chen and Ridge watched the video feed from Bill's living room as Sheila asked Bill if he was playing her. Holding up the ring, Sheila asked what it was and what he was doing. Bill asserted that he'd given her an engagement ring and asked her to marry him. He conceded that it was shocking. She said it was the stuff of her wildest dreams, and it made her wonder what was really going on.
Bill reminded Sheila of all he'd sacrificed to be with her. Behind the monitors, Ridge urged Bill to say what Sheila wanted to hear. Sheila told Bill that she didn't like it when people betrayed her. Bill countered that he didn't like it when people betrayed him, either. He pretended to understand why she was guarded. Sheila wondered if she was afraid, guarded, suspicious, or just smart and perceptive. "Am I right? Are you up to no good?" Sheila asked.
Bill asked if he hadn't proven himself enough to Sheila. He asked what more she wanted from him than he'd already done. He reminded her that he hadn't even asked for a prenup. He said he'd found someone who loved and accepted him for him. He claimed he had his demons and had done the unimaginable, just like she had. He said it didn't make him unworthy to be loved.
Bill asserted that he and Sheila had found true love, but she had to accept it. He asked if she'd agree to be his wife and let him give her the future she deserved. Trembling with happiness, Sheila exclaimed that she'd love to be Bill's wife.
In his hiding spot with Chen, Ridge was glad Bill had done it because Ridge couldn't take another moment of "Mr. Romance over there." Chen wondered if Bill could convince Sheila to confess. Ridge said it was the only way to put her away forever.
Back in Bill's living room, Bill slipped the ring on Sheila's finger. She was still in awe of what had just happened. He said he knew just what his future would look like, and he didn't want to wonder where she was ever again. He urged her to open herself up and tell him about the deep secrets that were still between them. "Unburden yourself. You've told me that you have done unimaginable things," Bill said, claiming to know what it felt like to be haunted.
Flashback played as Sheila revealed that her therapist, Dr. Jay Garvin, had threatened her. She said they'd had an argument and scuffled on the balcony. She explained that Garvin had grabbed her, and she'd shaken herself free of him. He'd fallen over the rail and died. She called his death tragic, but "I never meant to kill him. He just fell."
"What? What the hell?" Ridge raged from his listening post.
Sheila admitted she felt relieved and shared that she'd never told anyone that before. Glad for it, Bill stated that there was something else that she'd been carrying around for years, and it was okay to tell him. Sheila brought up Lance Day, who'd also threatened her. She disclosed that she had discovered that he'd been deathly allergic to bees. She claimed she'd tried to talk sense into him, but he had refused to listen.
Flashbacks of Lance struggling to get out of the room full of bees played as Sheila explained that she'd filled the room with bees, and they'd stung him again and again. She said she'd made sure that he hadn't been able to get out. She explained that Lance had pleaded with her for help, but she'd watched him gasp for air. Bill asked what she'd done. "I stood there...and I watched him die," she replied. Bill took her story to mean she'd intentionally killed Lance.
Sheila hesitated, but Bill told her that it was safe to tell him. "Yes," she uttered. Bill clarified that she'd murdered Lance Day. Nodding, she called herself a murderer. "That's so hot. You naughty, naughty girl. Say it again," Bill replied, stroking her cheek. Sheila repeated that she was a murderer, and Bill grinned.
In the Forester CEO's office, Brooke and Katie had lunch, and Katie sighed as she finished a text message to Will. She said she didn't know what to say to Will about Bill or what had happened to the man she'd thought she'd known. Brooke asked if Bill wasn't listening to Katie at all. Katie said she'd kept things vague with Will, but she couldn't understand why Sheila was so important to Bill.
As Brooke and Katie discussed Bill's unnerving behavior, Carter arrived. Carter asked if anything had changed with Bill, but Katie said Bill was just as inscrutable as ever. Brooke stated that they had to hope Bill would wake up and make Sheila pay for her crimes. Carter said Bill was allowing Sheila to dictate his life, and Brooke and Katie agreed. Katie noted that Bill thrived on risk and excitement, but in her view, dating Sheila was beyond reckless. Katie said that the longer it went on, the more danger they were all in -- especially Bill.
Later, Carter had gone, and Brooke asked if he wasn't bothered by Katie's concern for Bill. Katie said Carter was worried, too. Brooke advised Katie not to let it stress her new relationship. Katie insisted that Carter had been a rock for her, and she felt she'd needed that due to the crazy situation with Bill. Katie sensed that there had to be something they were missing. She insisted that the man she'd fallen in love with and the father of her child wouldn't do "something like this."
At the surveillance headquarters, Ridge was excited that the plan had worked, and Sheila would go away for first-degree murder. Chen replied that they didn't have her in custody yet. Ridge wondered how close Chen's team was to Bill's house.
At Bill's house, Bill was elated that Sheila had finally opened up. Sheila was confused by his excitement because, to her, what she'd told him had been terrible. She asked if Bill wasn't bothered by what she'd done. He replied that all that mattered was that she'd said it. She replied that she'd told him the worst thing she'd ever done. "And it took you long enough," he huffed.
"What?" Sheila asked. Bill said telling him her deepest secret would change everything. He assured her that he'd keep his promise and give her the future she so richly deserved. Claiming to be thinking of their future, he said he was more relieved than she could imagine. She asked if he hadn't expected her to accept his proposal, and she wondered how his family would react.
Bill said his family hadn't understood what was going on, but at that point, they might. Sheila hoped there could be a chance that his family would accept them. She said it would be worth a celebration. Bill predicted a tremendous celebration on the horizon.
Needing to take care of something, Bill stepped into another room. He called Ridge and asked if they'd gotten all that. Chen got on the line to say they'd gotten the information, but it was critical that Bill keep Sheila on location. "Don't worry. I can handle Sheila. We got her. We finally got her," Bill said in a giddy tone. As soon as he clicked off the call, he heard, "You got me. Who are you talking to, Bill?" Behind him stood Sheila.
In Bill's silence, Sheila gleaned that Bill hadn't been talking about their marriage and future. Bill scoffed at the idea of having a future with the criminal who'd shot Steffy and Finn. Sheila said Bill had asked her to be his wife and had professed love for her. She added that they'd made love in his bed, and he had shared his deepest, darkest feelings with her.
"You shared your darkest crimes with me," Bill replied. Sheila said it didn't make sense. Bill asserted that all he'd done and sacrificed finally did make sense. He figured it had to be sinking in about the lie he'd lived for months. It had been the acting challenge of a lifetime to defend her and pretend to care about her and love her.
Sheila dashed away, and from his hidden location, Ridge raged at Bill for overplaying it.
Back in Bill's living room, Bill snagged Sheila's arm before she reached the front door, saying that if she left, it would be in cuffs. Sheila yelled that he'd lied to her and said he loved her. He quipped that falling in love with a psycho was top on his bucket list. Sheila reasoned that he could have had her arrested that night on the beach. In a mocking tone, he asked if it had been when he'd been alone and drinking his sorrows away at Il Giardino.
Sheila said Bill had been lost and hurting. Bill asked if he'd been lost and hurt or waiting for her to take the bait. He told her that it had been a setup from the beginning, and it had taken months for him to get her to pour her heart out. He said Lance would get his justice, and Lance's killer would be locked up for good. "You confessed, Sheila. Murder one," Bill said. "Your reign of terror is over. Hear me? It's over, bitch!"
Sheila said she'd never terrorized Bill. She'd cared about him. Bill asserted that every moment had been anguishing, but he hadn't been able to give in to his revulsion because he'd needed a confession. She told him that he couldn't prove anything, and there was no evidence. It was her word against his. Bill replied that every word she'd spoken had been recorded. Pointing out hidden cameras, he suggested that she smile and wave at Ridge and Agent Chen.
Sheila was surprised that Ridge was a part of it. Bill retorted that it was just how dress designers were when one left their daughters for dead in alleys. Bill asked if she thought Ridge would let her get away with shooting Steffy. Bill revealed that he hadn't loved Sheila, and the FBI had been listening to every word, just waiting for her to open up. Sheila made a move toward the balcony, but Bill said the authorities would be there to lock her away for the rest of her life.
Sheila asked about the things Bill had said to her and to everyone. Bill replied that he'd had to convince them so he'd be able to convince her. She said they hated him, but he screamed that it wasn't as much as he hated her. He said it had killed him to hold her, kiss her, and have her in his bed.
"You call me a monster?" Sheila asked. She said the only way the plan could work was if she wasn't a monster. She'd only wanted to be loved, "and what did you do?" She yelled that he'd used her. "You're damn right I did. Who could ever love someone like you?" he asked.
"My son," Sheila responded. She said Finn had wanted to know her. When she evoked Steffy's name, Bill yelled at Sheila to shut up and stop blaming everyone else for her actions. Bill stated that everyone knew how murderous she was, and no one came back from first-degree murder. He declared that she'd never be a free woman again.
"No!" Sheila screamed and charged at Bill. The two wrestled out onto the balcony, and Sheila flipped over the railing. Bill looked down and saw Sheila flat on the tennis court below him.
In the FBI monitoring station, Ridge and Agent Chen looked on in horror as they saw Sheila fall from the balcony at Bill's house. "Subject down!" Chen yelled into his headset.
Bill looked down from the balcony at Sheila's motionless body and smiled. He stepped inside for a moment before returning to the balcony. When he looked back down at the ground below, Sheila had vanished. Bill raced back inside his house and phoned Ridge to tell him that Sheila was gone.
Chen told Ridge that he'd reached out to the local authorities to have them be on the lookout for Sheila.
Sheila sped down the freeway for parts unknown, tears streaming down her cheeks. Sheila thought back to her time with Bill. "I've been so stupid," she cried. She roared in anger and pressed her foot down on the accelerator.
Bill took off in his car in search of Sheila. As he drove, he thought back to the confessions that Sheila had made about Lance Day and Dr. Jay Garvin's deaths. Bill called Ridge again with an update. Bill had figured out where Sheila was headed, and he vowed that Sheila would not get away.
At Il Giardino, Deacon thought back to Sheila informing him of Bill's proposal. He was roused back to reality when Hope showed up at the restaurant. Hope sensed her father was distracted by something and pressed him for details. Deacon claimed that he was still trying to learn the ropes of owning a restaurant, and that took up "a lot of real estate in the old brain."
Deacon asked Hope not to worry about him. The topic turned to Douglas once again living with Hope and Liam. Deacon wondered if Hope knew why Douglas had suddenly changed his mind about where he wanted to live. Hope shared that the easing of tension between her and Thomas seemed to be the impetus. Deacon asked Hope if she was really sure that "Darth Thomas" wouldn't go back to the dark side. With a laugh, Hope assured Deacon that Thomas had changed.
Deacon made Hope promise that she would kick Thomas to the curb if he stepped out of line. Deacon expressed his concern that Hope and Thomas' working relationship might cause problems in Hope and Liam's marriage. Hope insisted that she could have both a happy marriage and a thriving fashion line.
Hope and Deacon started talking about Bill and Sheila's unlikely relationship. "Life is funny. It eventually works itself out," Deacon said. Hope asked what her father meant. Deacon replied that he didn't think they would need to worry about Sheila any longer. "As long as Sheila is breathing air, she is a danger to the people around her -- especially the ones that she claims to love," Hope retorted. Before Deacon could respond, he received a text message from Sheila saying that she urgently needed to meet him at his apartment. Deacon told his daughter that something had come up, and he needed to step away. Deacon gave Hope a hug, and she watched in confusion as he walked away.
When Sheila arrived at Deacon's apartment, a frantic Sheila told Deacon that everything with Bill had been a lie. Sheila said that she had told Bill things that she had done in the past, things that she was not proud of but had needed to do in order to survive. She then told Deacon that Bill had been working with Ridge and the Feds. Sheila told Deacon that she loved him, and she pleaded with him to run away with her.
On the highway, Bill sped in his car. He was on a call with Ridge, who urged Bill to get to Deacon's house to locate Sheila. Chen, also on the call, warned Bill to wait for the Los Angeles Police, who were the closest backup available. Chen and Ridge said they'd meet Bill there. Off the call, Bill murmured that he couldn't wait to see it through in person.
At Deacon's place, Sheila was already three steps ahead of the shocked Deacon as she planned their getaway. She said they needed to get new identities and couldn't use his car. He told her to wait a minute because, despite Deacon's feelings for her, she'd been there flashing Bill's ring. Sheila seethed that Bill had been using her. She stated that she'd always suspected it had been too good to be true, and she'd been right -- Bill had played her the whole time.
Sheila reported that Bill had revealed that the Feds had been listening to everything. "And you came here?" Deacon asked. She asked where else she'd go. He questioned whether they were following her. "Yes, that's why we need to go," Sheila said, imploring him to escape with her.
Deacon asked for time to process it. He asked about his restaurant and his daughter. He said his future was in Los Angeles. Sheila reasoned that it could be again someday later on. He didn't think she was hearing him. Sheila said she wanted Deacon with her because he'd been the one person she could count on, and he hadn't turned her in. She asked why.
Deacon figured Sheila knew why. She replied that he loved her, and she loved him. She admitted to getting caught up with Bill because he'd been her ticket to freedom, but she'd never felt for Bill what she'd felt for Deacon. She stated that they'd risked everything to be together, and she'd never find another man like him. She said that he'd never find another woman like her.
Admitting that she wasn't wrong about his feelings, Deacon said he didn't want to lose her, but there might be another way. "Okay, what if you just turned yourself in?" he asked. Sheila gasped, but he admitted that he had a feeling something bad would happen if she kept running.
Sheila replied that Deacon was sweet and kind. She said she needed him, but they had to leave that instant. Deacon, however, implored her to turn herself in and show her remorse. Sheila doubted she'd get a slap on the wrist. She said she had to leave immediately and never return. She asked that he not make her do it alone. She implored him to join her for as long as he could, perhaps even a lifetime.
Deacon nodded slowly, and Sheila thanked him, saying they had to go. She took his hand, and they left his apartment. They got as far as the dining area in the restaurant before Deacon slowed her down, saying he didn't know where she thought she could go. "You mean 'we,' right?" she asked. Deacon had a foreboding feeling about it and asked her to turn herself in.
"No, I am never going back to prison!" Sheila said, jerking her hand. Deacon held onto it, and she looked at him, puzzled. "Oh, I think you are," Bill replied, entering with Ridge, Chen, Chief Baker, and some other officers. Deacon said he was sorry, and Sheila asked if any of it had been real. "Yeah, but, I -- " he stammered. She cut him off, uttering that she understood.
Bill and Ridge thanked Deacon for buying them just enough time. Baker said he'd been waiting to say it for years. "Sheila Carter, you're under arrest for murder," Baker announced, apprehending her for Lance Day's death, one of Baker's first unsolved cases. Bill said she'd go down for Lance, all of her attempted murders, and maybe even Dr. Garvin's death.
Sheila told Deacon that it was okay, and she'd never forget all the things he'd done for her. Deacon nodded, and Baker took her arm. Bill claimed that the moment was more satisfying than he'd imagined it would be. Sheila called them liars and manipulators, but Ridge asked if she thought he'd just let go of what she'd done to Finn and Steffy. Ridge said Bill had devised a plan to put Sheila away forever, and Bill stated that she'd never be free again; no one would remember her, speak her name again, or love her.
Sheila asserted that her son loved her, and none of it would have happened if it hadn't been for Steffy. Ridge warned Sheila about mentioning his daughter, but Sheila did it again, saying he knew how Steffy had treated her. Sheila said Steffy hadn't even shown an ounce of kindness. Declaring that it wouldn't end that way, Sheila broke away and ran. The officers scrambled after her, and Deacon stifled a grin.
In the alley behind the restaurant, a sweaty Sheila caught her breath. She saw the delivery door and flashed back to shooting Finn. Sirens blared as she doubled over in pain. She turned to run but collided with Bill. "Your reputation as a scheming son of a bitch doesn't even come close to what you are," she uttered. She said she'd thought he'd loved her. "You thought wrong," he retorted, saying it would take a sick, twisted loser to love her.
"And the ring, by the way, is fake. As fake as the feelings I pretended to have for you," Bill revealed. Removing the ring, Sheila revealed that he hadn't been the only one pretending. "It might be the end of us, but it is not the end of me," she proclaimed before doubling over in pain and collapsing to the ground. As she struggled to breathe, Bill gazed at her with boredom.
At the hospital, Finn was excited that Steffy had stopped by to surprise him. Kissing her, he said he was always a fan of her surprises. Steffy hoped he wouldn't have any unwelcome surprises. Assuming Steffy meant Sheila, Finn said he'd told her how unwelcome Sheila was. Steffy said they couldn't act like Sheila wasn't a threat. Steffy hoped Bill would find his senses and put an end to Sheila.
Later, Steffy talked about how much she admired Finn for his dedication to his work. Finn said he loved helping people, healing them, and saving lives. Steffy joked that it was like what she did in the fashion industry, but Finn contended that Forrester gowns made people feel good, and it was a different version of helping people. Finn said they had great role models in his mother and her father. Steffy assumed he meant Li, not Sheila.
At Il Giardino, Sheila escaped into the alley but struggled to stand. She collided with Bill, who glared at her as she collapsed on the ground. Ridge entered the alley with Deacon, and Bill kicked Sheila's boot, asking if she thought the performance would keep her out of jail. "Let's go celebrate," Bill said, crushing the fake ring beneath his boot as he strode by Sheila's unconscious body.
At the bar later, Deacon opened beers for himself, Bill, and Ridge. Ridge said that, phony heart attack or not, they finally had Sheila. Ridge and Bill raised their bottles as if to toast, and Deacon did it, too. Ridge revealed that he'd asked Eric to gather everyone together to tell them what they had done to ensure that no one had to deal with Sheila anymore.
Ridge said it was time the family learned that Ridge had been in town the entire time, working alongside Deacon and Bill. Bill said they couldn't have done it without Deacon. A flashback played of Deacon frowning as Bill and Ridge searched his apartment. They told Deacon that they knew something had been going on with him and Sheila, and Deacon could either keep making pizzas or go to jail. Deacon looked at a photo of Hope and asked what he had to do.
Ridge said he couldn't understand why Deacon had fallen for Sheila along the way. Bill figured Deacon had to have regrets. Deacon stammered. "No? Well, whatever," Bill decided. Ridge and Bill agreed not to tell Hope or Brooke about it. Deacon said he'd helped out because he didn't want to lose his daughter. Bill quipped that Deacon should have stuck to massaging the pizza dough instead of the lunatic.
Later, Bill and Deacon were together after Ridge had gone to Eric's house. Bill was eager to join Ridge there after Ridge talked to everyone first. Deacon said Ridge and Bill deserved a victory lap for putting their lives on hold for the sting. Bill credited Ridge's vigilance, but Deacon said Bill had pissed off everyone in his life in order to capture Sheila. Deacon assumed the whole town would throw Bill a parade.
Bill said he was just glad everyone was safe and that Sheila was out of their lives. Deacon doubted that Sheila could get out of it that time. Bill asserted that he despised Sheila and hoped she'd had a real heart attack. With that, Bill left the restaurant.
At Eric's house, Eric and Donna greeted Brooke, Stephen, and Lucy. Brooke wondered if Ridge had revealed to Eric why Ridge had asked them to meet him there. Eric said he'd just complied with Ridge's text message, which had asked Eric to gather everyone together.
Taylor arrived, and Brooke guessed Ridge was back in town. Stephen quipped that it had taken Ridge long enough, and there was no reason to abandon the family with Sheila on the loose. Taylor said Ridge had been doing some much-needed soul-searching. Stephen stated that it could take years or decades for Ridge to sort himself out. Brooke said Ridge hadn't been totally missing, and he'd been checking in. Stephen, however, wasn't impressed.
Later, Carter and Katie arrived, and the group wondered what was keeping Ridge. Katie didn't know why Ridge wanted to talk to all of them. Stephen asserted that Ridge was in the doghouse with Stephen for treating Brooke's heart like a chew toy.
"Well, speak of the devil," Stephen said as Ridge arrived. Ridge greeted everyone and said he'd missed Brooke and Taylor. They replied that everyone had missed him, but they wondered why he'd called them all there. Taylor and Brooke explained that they hadn't asked Ridge to stay away for so long and added that they and the kids had needed him.
Ridge repeated that he'd missed Brooke and Taylor. Brooke asked why he'd stayed away so long. Stephen interrupted to light into Ridge for not trusting his marriage and running to Taylor. Stephen noted that Ridge had left Taylor, too, and Stephen asked who walked out on their own wedding. Stephen told Ridge there was no excuse for being gone with Sheila on the loose.
Everyone took turns remarking upon how abandoned they'd felt in Ridge's absence. Taylor said it had been as if Ridge had checked out. Brooke added that Bill had gone to the dark side.
Just then, Bill arrived. Eric promptly said Bill wasn't welcome and needed to go home to Sheila. Ridge said he'd invited Bill there, and there was something Ridge had to say. Everyone took turns berating Bill, and Donna said Sheila had better not be waiting outside. Ridge asked them to give him and Ridge a moment. Brooke asked what it was.
Ridge said they could all take a big sigh of relief because of what Bill had done. Taylor asserted that Bill had fallen in love with Sheila. Bill said he got that he'd alienated everyone, but Sheila wouldn't wreak havoc on their lives anymore. Ridge declared that Sheila was out of their lives, and it was because of Bill. Everyone stared at Bill, angry but puzzled.
At the hospital, Li received an emergency female patient who'd suffered a heart attack. Li was stunned to see that the patient was Sheila Carter.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Steffy and Finn were still together when a nurse approached Finn to inform him that his mother was with a heart attack patient, Sheila Carter.
Back in Sheila's room, Li glared at Sheila, who was hooked up to monitors. Li flashed back to what had gone on between her and Sheila in Li's hideaway. Finn arrived. He immediately saw that Sheila's vitals were not good. Li glared coldly at Sheila. Finn asked why Li wasn't doing anything. An alarm sounded as Sheila flatlined.
Li murmured that after all Sheila had done to Steffy and Finn...
Finn asked what Li was saying. "Let her die. Let Sheila Carter die," Li said. A nurse entered and grabbed the defibrillator paddles. "Dr. Finnegan?" she said. Finn and Li just stared at each other.
