Stephanie encounters Jake Sanders while out riding. Jilly announces she is moving out of Eden after overhearing Dennis badmouthing her to Stephanie. Jilly reveals to Jake she intends to take down Dennis by setting him and Stephanie against one another. Jake makes an appearance at Harper Mining and offers to sell back his shares in the company but Stephanie refuses to make him rich and sends him on his way.

Jilly manipulates Philip, her ex-husband, into getting her friend, Olive, released early from prison intending to use her in her scheme to bring down Stephanie. Stephanie asks Dennis to make a decision about his future at Harper Mining when she sees him getting distracted by Angelo's boxing career. Working for Jake, Harper Mining employee Cassie agrees to dig up dirt on Dennis.

Stephanie gets her daughter, Sarah, a job at Tara's Fashion House. Dennis asks Dan to lend him $25,000 so he can buy into Angelo's boxing career but refuses Dan's reasonable terms. Dennis encounters Cassie at the office late at night where she is going through his personel file but he is there on his own neferious task — forging Joanna Randall's signature. Bill's son, Tom McMaster, returns from America after studying at Harvard and Stephanie offers him a job on the spot.

Jilly and Jake set up Dennis to get caught in a compromising position with a young woman but he creates a public spectacle in a nightclub all on his own. With Dennis on the ropes, Jake tries to reach an understanding with him the next morning but Stephanie's arrival puts a stop to that, although her insults only add to Jake's determination to bring down Harper Mining.

Jilly is upset with Jake for backing out of their deal to bring down Dennis. He states his focus now is entirely on Stephanie — both personally and professionally. Stephanie is haunted by dreams of her crocodile attack. Jilly meets with Olive to cash in her favour and gives her a gun to kill Stephanie. While Stephanie is out riding, she is shot at and is thrown from her horse.