All of us who have watched The Bold and the Beautiful for even a hot minute

can guess how Sheila’s resurrection will play out just as easily as we could predict

that she wasn’t really dead in the first place.

Unless someone has kidnapped her in order to remove the menace from society — review the prime suspects here — she’s going to wait until she’s sure not only that Deacon will instantly marry her but that no way will Finn ever turn her away again. Then she will emerge from the shadows and say, “Gotcha… again!”

‘Show Me the Money’

But the twist would be so much more deliciously complicated if the powers that be had had one of her children — son Ryder would be our pick — show up in L.A. eager to cash in on all that money Sheila insisted that but never acted like she had.

Ryder could roll into town with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Hollywood sign and announce that every last cent that she had in the bank is the least amount of payback he deserves for Mommie Dearest having ruined his life.

Of course, finding Sheila’s cache of riches would be no mean feat, so Ryder would have to stick around for a while. Finn would try to bond with his newfound half brother, who would be having none of it. “I don’t want any more to do with you than I did her,”

Ryder would argue. But he’d have a harder time shutting down Steffy. He might even see in her a little of the wildness that drew him to Young & Restless’ Jana when he was on that show. (See below.)

An Unlikely Alliance

Eager to get rid of Ryder and any remnants of Sheila, Steffy would help him try to crack the case of the missing money. In doing so, they’d be forced to notice that they feel a pull to one another. They weren’t looking for it, don’t even want it, but it’s there. “Don’t sweat it,” Steffy might joke in hopes of cutting the tension. “I have that effect on a lot of men.”

That would be that — until Steffy catches Hope in what at least appears to be a compromising position with Finn. (Hey, she did say her stepsister could expect some payback!) In a fit, she’d seek out Ryder and act on the attraction that’s been threatening to boil over. Only afterwards would she find out that nothing had transpired between Finn and Hope. In essence, Steffy had thrown herself at Ryder for no reason other than — gulp — she’d wanted to.

The Moment of Truth… or Dare

Then and only then would Sheila reveal that she’s alive. And having been keeping a close eye on the goings-on in her absence, she’d be in the know about Steffy’s tryst with Ryder. Sheila could even try to lure Ryder back to the dark side, suggesting that if it somehow came out that he’d been with Steffy, they could both get what they want: He could have Steffy, and Sheila could have a relationship with Finn without his wife getting in the way. “I might even fork over some of that money you’re so interested in to sweeten the deal,” she might add.

Since Wilson Bethel, who played Ryder on Young & Restless, has become a primetime mainstay — he spent the last four years starring on All Rise — Bold & Beautiful would probably have to recast. But there’s no shortage of actors with whom Jacqueline MacInnes Wood might click on screen. Some names to consider: Thad Luckinbill (ex-J.T., Young & Restless), Scott Bailey (Sandy, Guiding Light) and Josh Henderson (John Ross on TNT’s Dallas reboot).