1992 (#21) - The fire in Grand Rapids, Paul's intervention and Sheila's alleged death

Just as Molly vainly tries to free herself and Lauren begs Sheila to let them go since there is still time to redeem herself and not go to jail, Sheila is interrupted by the intercom. When Sheila goes to open the door, Lauren hopes it will be someone who can free them, but it is actually the gas repairman, who informs the woman that he needs to fix a fault. Sheila lets the man in, named Timothy Gray, and lets him work upstairs while she returns to the basement where the two prisoners are. Sheila continues to threaten Lauren who, having managed to free her leg, kicks the woman, causing her to hit a table and drop a lamp. The lamp's flame soon catches on the walls of the house, built entirely of wood, causing a blazing fire to break out. In the turmoil and with the flames gradually spreading, Lauren manages to free herself but is attacked by Sheila just as she is about to save herself and Molly. The fight between Lauren and Sheila continues, but at one point Lauren succeeds in punching Sheila and knocking her to the ground; the flames now separate Sheila from Lauren, who manages to free Molly and begins to look for a way out of the house. In the meantime, alarmed by the sight of the fire, Paul and Lynne, who have come to Grand Rapids in search of Lauren, being worried about her sudden absence from Genoa City, arrive in front of Molly's house and manage to save the two before the house is completely destroyed. Lauren joyfully embraces Paul and Lynne and thanks them for saving her, then tells them the incredible truth about Sheila. In the meantime, during the firemen's investigations, a body is found in the house, now charred and completely unrecognizable. Everyone guesses that it's Sheila, and both Lauren and Paul are happy to be able to put the matter behind them. Scott himself is baffled by Lauren's version of events, which is supported by the facts, and his initial despair over Sheila's death soon turns to relief at being brought out of this nightmare. Everyone believes that Sheila is dead, not imagining, however, that the body found is that of Timothy while Sheila has also managed to save herself. Sheila escapes using the man's truck and goes to a bar. Well aware that she can no longer return to Genoa City, Sheila sees an ad for a job as a nurse from Eric Forrester, president of the famous fashion house "Forrester Creations". Sheila then calls the company and it is Eric himself who answers her, agreeing to give her an interview, which gives her hope of rebuilding a new future in Los Angeles.