After a bomb is found in her vehicle, Heather is assigned a bodyguard, who turns out to be Chance Chancellor (John Driscoll). Chance's fiancée, Chloe Mitchell (Elizabeth Hendrickson), becomes increasingly concerned with Heather's intentions concerning him, and during a night of heated passions, Heather and Chance give into temptations and sleep together. After Chance is presumed dead and shot by his half-brother Ronan Malloy (Jeff Branson), Heather begins a relationship with him, causing another rift between her and Chloe, who also had relationships with Malloy. Heather is soon granted the position as the temporary district attorney of Genoa City. As she campaigns to hold the position, she receives an offer from Victor to reopen the case against Adam in exchange for campaign funding. Suspicious, Billy publishes an article in "Restless Style" exposing Heather's false honesty, which in turn makes her drop her campaign for district attorney. She later becomes the general prosecutor in the case against Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) for murder. After reconnecting with her half-brother, Ricky Williams (Peter Porte), and believing she could trust him, he takes pictures of her kissing Adam, who was a key suspect in the case against Sharon. He publishes them in "Restless Style" and ruins her reputation, causing her to leave Genoa City and return to New York City.