Episode 7 of "The Waterfront" kicks off with Cane awakening in a cozy embrace with Jenna, only to be abruptly pulled back to reality by a phone call regarding Harlan's dire condition. Scrambling to dress, Cane learns that despite Harlan's painful stings, the doctor has cleared him of any serious harm—a fact that fails to quell Harlan's simmering rage. He's bent on eradicating Grady once and for all, thirsting for his blood.
The tension escalates when Grady calls, and Harlan, sensing they're under surveillance, loses his cool. Brandishing a gun, he scares off Grady's henchman and warns him to steer clear of his family. Yet, with Grady's deep-rooted influence in their world, such a demand seems futile.
Back at the office, Cane and Harlan confront an even more pressing issue: a looming debt of monumental proportions that they must repay within 43 days. Rather than continuing their fraught partnership with Grady, Cane proposes an alliance with Emmett Parker—a giant in the industry, whose operations dwarf Grady's and span across the South.
Intriguingly, Harlan reveals that his father once walked the same path with Emmett. However, it was Emmett's men who orchestrated the hit on Harlan's father, entangling them all. Undeterred, Cane believes they should still court Emmett's favor, if only to dig themselves out of their financial quagmire.
Meanwhile, Bree's world comes crashing down when she's blindsided by a drug test at Diller's place. Her refusal to comply, a transparent sign of her indulgence, sets the stage for a confrontation. Fortunately, Diller's leniency offers a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.
When Cane and Harlan finally sit down with Emmett, the atmosphere couldn't be more contrasting to Grady's dark undertow. Ready to broker a deal, Cane seizes the moment, proposing a transaction worth 12 million dollars, overseen by Jeb, Emmett's father.
Jeb, however, isn't easily swayed. Skeptical of their desperation for "quick cash" and wary of double-dealing, he insists they sever all ties with Grady. Harlan's half-serious suggestion that Emmett eliminate Grady elicits nothing but laughter and bewilderment from Jeb and Emmett, leaving one to wonder what dark corners have led Harlan to such drastic notions.
Eventually, they reached a consensus, with Jeb reluctantly agreeing to take charge of Grady. However, Jeb is a man of old-fashioned values, and Harlan took a moment to remind his son of a pivotal incident from the past: when Jeb had crossed paths with Harlan's father, Beau, the consequences had been severe. Harlan further elaborated, likening their involvement in the drug trade to an addictive substance, a vice that is nearly impossible to abandon.
Later that evening, Belle confronted Harlan, revealing a decision she had made for the sake of their family. She insisted that she had earned the right to bear the Buckley name and confessed to having slept with Wes as well. She clarified that her actions were not intended to hurt Harlan but rather to find solace amidst the chaos enveloping her life.
Meanwhile, Rodney showed up at Bree's doorstep in search of Diller, who had apparently run away after a heated argument. Rodney assumed the boy had fled to Bree's place. Bree was taken aback when Rodney revealed his plans to relocate, a decision largely influenced by Georgina, which explained the tension between them.
Fortunately, Bree located Diller swiftly and encouraged him to return home. Acknowledging their limited options, she nevertheless stood her ground on Rodney's parental responsibility. She didn't anticipate Diller's forgiveness but reassured him that he was the driving force behind her efforts to improve herself.
At work, Cane's world began to spin out of control when he stumbled upon Emmett's men tied up in his office, accompanied by a sign reading "nice try." It became evident that Grady had cottoned on to the assassination plot and thwarted it. He summoned Belle for assistance, who was left stunned by the gravity of the situation they faced.
At the fish house, matters took a turn for the worse when a sudden gas leak compelled everyone to evacuate the premises in haste. Oblivious to this chaotic exodus, Bree remained outdoors, unaware of the impending danger. Soon after, she stumbled upon Belle inside, desperately attempting to conceal the bodies that lay lifelessly around. Tragically, this ill-conceived scheme ultimately rebounded upon Harlan at an inopportune moment—just as he prepared to embark on a fishing expedition with Shawn. Their journey was cut short when they were ambushed on the road, held at gunpoint, and subsequently abducted, ending up at Grady's farm under duress.
At the farm, Grady confronted Harlan about his secret arrangement with Emmett, using Shawn as a human shield to enforce his demands. With a gun pointed squarely at Shawn, Grady disclosed a shocking revelation: he was Harlan's estranged son. This bombshell was enough to coerce Harlan into capitulation, agreeing to collaborate with Grady in a bid to safeguard his own flesh and blood.
Meanwhile, Cane, accompanied by Tim and Reggie, raced to Grady's farm with the intent of rescuing his father. Upon entering the barn, Cane uncovered Grady's vast drug operation, sparking an immediate confrontation with Grady's heavies. The altercation culminated in a decision to obliterate the barn with explosives, which effectively wiped out Grady's entire illicit enterprise. The aftermath saw a fierce battle ensue, during which Tim was fatally wounded, while Grady, wielding a machine gun, gave chase across an open field. The fugitives ran in a desperate straight line, with Reggie sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg as they narrowly evaded the hail of bullets—an unrealistic escape that bordered on the fantastical.
As the trio managed to escape and Grady survived to plot his next move, Belle and Bree joined forces to tidy up the office, amidst the wreckage left behind. Bree, grappling with her demons since childhood, eventually confessed under the strain, acknowledging that she had orchestrated Marcus's demise by enticing him with drugs, all in the name of protecting her family. Belle, initially hasty in her judgments, was taken aback by this revelation. Bree, however, believed she deserved retribution for her actions. Tragically, her punishment arrived sooner than expected in the guise of Grady's men, who descended upon her that very night, abducting her into the night.
