Over Water

While John was locked away on remand, the world hasn’t stopped turning: Marjan has filed for divorce, Barry has woken from his coma, although clearly not his old self anymore, and Ella is bearing John’s child. In the meantime, De Pelsmaecker is putting pressure on her network to get John out as quickly as possible.

When John appears on a talk show, he later receives an offer to host a new TV quiz show. An idea that Barry, in particular, finds very appealing. It is, however, also John’s first ‘day at the office’ for De Pelsmaecker. Soon enough, John realizes that he is now operating at an altogether different level and that the risks and expectations are commensurate with his position.

John is running a lucrative business on the De Beco company grounds and he makes money by the truckload. Everything is going according to plan, until Ella discovers a bank statement and confronts John with his lies: he promised her never to get involved with anything illegal again.

De Pelsmaecker intends to tackle the Van Cauwenberghe issue. Because she has to look after her sick father, she puts the matter into The Driver’s hands, soon regretting her decision when the port alderman winds up in the hospital and on the news. Van Cauwenberghe himself is pretty pleased when he manages to score a date with Marjan Michielsen.

De Pelsmaecker visits Van Cauwenberghe with an attractive proposition that could win him the elections, but he has some qualms about striking up an alliance with her. Indeed, in exchange for her offer, she wants his assurance that her port companies will be exempt from his rigorous screening. Ella loses her father and lets Carl back into her life again.

When the commissioner is found in a state of confusion and without any clothes, both John and Van Cauwenberghe realize that this is De Pelsmaecker’s doing. Alarmed by how she apparently treats the people she does business with, Van Cauwenberghe is starting to get cold feet. Buelens tries to calm him down.

The split between John and Barry causes Julie to break with her father. De Pelsmaecker, on the other hand, has started to develop amorous feelings for John, who has other things on his mind: he buys a large house, in the hope of winning Ella back. He also launches a charm offensive to woo her mother, Ritje. Carl tries the same thing, in his own unique way, and with the help of his therapist.

Carl ends up at the hospital with Ritje, where he receives some very bad news. He decides not to tell Marjan for the time being. She has her hands full trying to now also manage Michielsen NV on top of her own art gallery. Although Van Cauwenberghe is there to support her, he would rather have her away from the port in view of his ongoing ‘cleaning’ campaign.

De Pelsmaecker discovers that John is trying to build his own empire behind her back. To add insult to injury, he is unable to return her love. She hatches a plan of revenge that is radical, even for her. Tipped off, John realizes he has fallen from grace and that he should plan every step meticulously from now on.

After the bombing Ella ends up in hospital. Barry and John are interrogated by police. John uses his media profile to try and drive Van Cauwenberghe into a corner, but the alderman hasn’t played his last card yet. Before it’s too late, Carl wants to clear his conscience. In doing so, he plays a vital role in the endgame that John Beckers absolutely needs to win in order to survive.