Felicia desperately needed money. Her Alverton development project had consumed all her earnings, leaving her penniless. Despite Dexter's generous gift of a well-funded bank card, she refused to use it. However, her meticulous planning had already solved her financial dilemma. She had orchestrated a scheme against Shawn, transforming his fifty million dollars into gambling debts. Lance repossessed Shawn's house, cars, and luxury possessions. Felicia then resold these assets to Lance for twenty percent below market value, netting two million dollars.
It was a brilliant maneuver—money earned without spending a dime. Lance was pleased; he'd already received his share from the original debt and now acquired valuable assets at a significant discount. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. As he drove away, Lance admired Felicia's cunning. "She's ruthless," he mused. The money Shawn had swindled from the Fuller family had, ironically, ended up back in Felicia's possession. Lance mentally resolved to avoid crossing Felicia.
Within ten minutes, the funds appeared in Felicia's account. Satisfied with Lance's efficiency, she prepared to call Jeremy, a venture capitalist she'd met at a conference, to arrange a transfer. Before she could, two WhatsApp notifications arrived from Tabitha. A video played; Tabitha sat before a decorated cake, tears streaming as she sang a shaky "Happy Birthday." Her voice cracked as she spoke.
"Licia, even though you're not my biological daughter, we were mother and daughter for eighteen years. I'm so sorry for how I treated you. Today is your birthday, and I bought you a cake. Could you… could you come see me? I miss you so much."
The video triggered a flood of memories. As a child, Shawn always received a birthday cake; Tabitha and Howell would buy it for him. He'd be the center of attention, surrounded by cheers and love. Four-year-old Felicia would watch enviously from the sidelines. Shawn had once deliberately smashed leftover cake onto the floor, grinning at her longing. Another time, Felicia's timid request for a small cake resulted in a slap from Tabitha: "You ungrateful brat! Are you asking for a cake? Who do you think you are?" After that, Felicia never dared ask again. Later, she overheard Howell and Tabitha reveal she wasn't their biological child, sparking a fragile hope that her real parents would love her.
Watching Tabitha's tearful plea, Felicia remained impassive. Within two minutes, a call came from an unknown number. Felicia immediately recognized it, initially intending to ignore it, but something stayed her hand. She considered Shawn and Kayla's recent schemes; this was their next move.
Felicia answered, her tone icy. "What do you want?"
Tabitha's weepy voice filled the line. "Licia, I'm so sorry. Please, give me a chance to make it up to you. Let me celebrate your birthday with you." Her voice cracked. "I bought your favorite cake. It even has a little bunny on top, just like you used to like. Please, just see me. Let me make things right."