On September 25, 2015, Lani was introduced by co-head writers Josh Griffith and Dena Higley as a rookie police officer, who is revealed to be the daughter of long-running character, Mayor Abe Carver (James Reynolds).

While Lani is quickly promoted to detective, the character struggles to find a place on the canvas and is abruptly written out on June 9, 2016, after Stowers was released from her contract.

Lani and JJ become partners at the police department where she clashes with Gabi's new boyfriend, FBI agent Eli Grant (Lamon Archey).

With the arrival of matriarch Olivia Price, played by Harry's 227 co-star Marla Gibbs, it is revealed that Paulina's is Lani's biological mother.

While Abe welcomes Lani with open arms, he hesitates to tell his autistic teenage son Theo (Kyler Pettis) for fear of his reaction.

[9] With the help of JJ Deveraux, Lani arrest serial killer Ben Weston (Robert Scott Wilson) and she is then promoted to detective.

[43] A year later, Lani is set to take her final vows as a nun when she confides in Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) about how Gabi forced her to leave Eli.

Fortunately, Val helps Lani clarify the mixup just before the christening Paulina even gifts the parents with a blank check for the twins' college tuition.

After the christening, Paulina's daughter Chanel (Precious Way) arrives and causes trouble when she tries to stick Eli's cousin Claire Brady (Isabel Durant) with an expensive champaign bill.

As Lani and Eli gear up for their first wedding anniversary, she gives her blessing for Abe and Paulina to date, as they've grown close through their work on the Horton Town Square.

Eventually, Lani forgives Paulina in exchange for complete honesty going forward just in time to share a happy reunion with her grandmother Olivia.

"[66] On June 30, 2015, Michael Fairman TV reported that America's Next Top Model winner turned actress Sal Stowers, known to daytime audiences for her portrayal of Cassandra Foster on the short lived online reboot of All My Children had joined the cast in a contract role.

[31] The original casting notice described the character as "smart and drop-dead gorgeous" African-American woman between the ages of 25 and 30 who was a "confident, dedicated professional" with a "sensitive side.

"[79] Lani is also said to be "cautious" and "methodical in her work, but with a wit and a wild streak … She has no problem grabbing a perp and throwing him up against the wall and slapping cuffs on him."

[84] When the character's last name was revealed in spoilers ahead of her debut, majority made the connection that Lani was the product of Abe's short lived romance with Tamara.

[14] In March 2016, not long after the story began, Daytime Confidential reported that Stowers was one of several cast members released from their contracts when the series replaced their writers.

"I spent a lot of time researching what addicts go through during withdrawal — I didn't know there was fear, loneliness, and hot and cold sensations, feeling like your skin is on fire."

To prepare for the scenes, Stowers who was not a parent said "I did research about women losing their babies to placenta [praevia] and watched a ton of videos because I didn't really know where to go or how to grieve that.

"[130] Stowers told Soap Opera Digest about the difficulty in playing Lani and Eli's break-up and having to adjust to work without Archey as her screen partner.

[47] While Lani successfully exposes Gabi upending the wedding, any progress she makes with Eli is stalled as he needs "time to process" the news.

"[48] Stephanie Sloane, editor of Soap Opera Digest, described the confrontation as the "ultimate 'turnabout is fair play' moment' considering how Gabi had previously destroyed" Lani and Eli's first wedding.

"[153] "Firing the actress proves once again that while discussions of diversity are of growing importance in primetime and film, daytime is completely regressing in this area" Jamey Giddens said.

"[164] Jack Ori from TV Fanatic felt Lani's shock over the pregnancy made her look "irresponsible" and "stupid" because she never considered the possibility, though she and Eli didn't use protection.

[175] Ori admitted "mixed feelings" about the "heartbreaking" scenes, it felt like an attempt to garner sympathy Lani's potential reunion with JJ.

[199] Sal Stowers gut-punched me with her performance as Lani stood at the altar and calculated that if Paulina was her mother, Abe wasn't her father.

"[202] Di Lauro called it a "doozy of a secret" and said "While it's a major move in the drama department, the twist upends a lot of established history and well-developed relationships."

[217] While she admitted the possession storyline was "entertaining," Mary D. wrote to Digest: "I do not appreciate DAYS changing the history of the show by making Paulina Lani's mother, thus meaning Abe is not her father.

Akbi Khan of Soap Cities said the duo would "become the Salem pair to watch" and she felt that "Stowers’ mature, grounded energy provides a perfect compliment for Moss’ more boyish vibe.

Her further stated that "The problems with this storyline are compounded by the fact that Lani is one of two African-American women on the show, and she's consistently been portrayed as man hungry and amoral.

"[245] Of their one-night-stand, Soap Opera Digest said "While not exactly romantic, their interaction was charged with chemistry between portrayers Sal Stowers and Lamon Archey.