The drive from the airport to the pier took a bit more than an hour but she didn't care. The sun was shining, and she felt as if she was walking on air. Her heart was still beating fast in anticipation of seeing Arthur again. The pier was packed but she followed the driver through the crowd to a very specific Longtail boat. He helped her onto it and said a few words in Thai to the skipper and walked away.

Julia sat down and took in the beauty of what she saw as they headed out on the water. Fifteen minutes later, she saw an island in the distance. She stood and headed for the front of the boat as they got closer. She could see a few bungalows lined up along the beach. The sand was white, and the water was turquoise and transparent. Only a few locals were on the beach, bringing in fishing nets.

The skipper stopped the boat near the dock and helped Julia get out. He handed her bag to her and pointed in the direction of the first bungalow.

"Khop khun", said Julia as she placed her hands together and bowed in his direction. She grabbed her bag and headed to the bungalow he had indicated.

She removed her sunglasses as she entered the bungalow and the woman behind the desk counter looked up from her register. She smiled upon seeing Julia.

"You must be Julia", the woman said as she came around the desk.

Julia nodded and put her hand out. "And you must be Mei".

Mei shook her hand and smiled as she looked at her. "I'm happy that we finally get a chance to meet". She put her hand kindly on Julia's back. "Follow me".

They two walked out of the bungalow unto the beach in the direction of the other bungalows. "Arthur is running a few errands he should be back in a couple of hours".

Julia didn't care if she had to wait a couple of hours, she had been waiting for two months.

They stopped in front of a big bungalow, the biggest one on the beach, it was three times the size of the other ones and had a top floor with a terrace. It was beautiful.

"Wow" said Julia.

"It's beautiful isn't it. They finished building it last week".

"I'm sorry, what"?

Mei smiled. "Arthur's bungalow was small and lacking space and old. It was time to rebuild. Besides, it wouldn't have been very comfortable for the two of you".

Julia felt a lump in her throat as the emotion rose. Mei smiled. "Arthur is a good man and these past months I haven't seen him as tormented and happy at the same time as I've ever known him to be".

Mei handed her the key. "Why don't you go inside and make yourself comfortable? If you need anything, just let me know".

Julia nodded silently and took the key between her fingers.

When she walked into the bungalow, she was amazed at its beauty and simplicity. She walked around the ground floor, through the living room, dining room and kitchen. She then headed upstairs where there were two bedrooms and a bathroom. She walked into the master bedroom and placed her bag down on the queen-sized bed. The window was opened and had a view on the beach and ocean and she could hear the waves crashing in. She turned around and opened her duffel bag, as she did, something on one of the night stands caught her attention. She walked over to it and sat on the bed. She picked it up from the nightstand and looked at it. It was the picture frame that had been on her desk in her apartment in Cancun, the one of her and Arthur at Tulum. She smiled as she put it back down.

She removed her shorts and t-shirt and put on a long flowing white maxi dress and headed back downstairs. She grabbed her sunglasses and headed outside. She sat down on the steps of the bungalow and looked out at the horizon. She could picture herself here forever with Arthur, living a simple and happy life.

She stood and walked down the beach closer to the ocean. She looked up towards the dock and she saw him talking to Mei. Her heart flipped over as she saw him. She saw Mei point in the direction of the bungalow and Arthur turned his head in its direction. His face lit up as he saw her, and he started to walk towards the bungalow. Julia impatiently set out to meet him.

Just as he knew he would never forget how she looked the day he met her and every day that followed, he knew he would never be able to forget the way she looked right now.

She stopped when he was five feet away from her. She didn't know what to say. But as he filled the gap between them, took her into his arms and kissed her passionately, almost as if his life depended on it, she knew they didn't need words.

Still kissing her, he placed his hands on her hips and lifted her. Her legs encircled his waist and she placed her arms around his neck. He removed his lips from hers and looked at her.

"I've been waiting a long time for you Mrs. Grayson and my patience has run out".

He walked towards the bungalow not letting her go and entered it. He headed to the first floor and delicately placed her on the bed. He removed his shirt and placed himself over her, letting his eyes get lost in hers. His mouth trailed down her neck to her cleavage.

"Wait, a minute" she said.

He lifted his head and looked at her.

"Did you say Mrs. Grayson"?

He smiled. "We have the rest of our lives to figure that out, right now there are more pressing matters".

She pulled him into her and kissed him greedily. He was right, they had forever.

Julia woke up to screams. She opened her eyes and looked in the direction from where they came from.

A little boy with brown hair was being chased down the beach.

"I'm going to catch you"!

"No! No!"

Inevitably the boy was caught and started to laugh.

Julia rose from the lounge chair and walked in their direction.

"Mommy! Mommy! Daddy caught me".

Julia smiled. "I see that. Did you guys have fun fishing"?

The three-year-old boy grinned. "I caught a huge fish"!

Julia opened her eyes wide in amazement. "Really! Where is it"?

The little boy looked at Arthur. "Where is my fish, daddy"?

Arthur laughed. "Mei is cleaning it".

"Cool! Can I go watch"? he asked looking at Julia.

"Of course, you can".

He leaned in and planted a kiss on his mom's cheek. "I love you, Mommy".

It wasn't the first time she'd heard it, but it made her heart melt each time. "Love you too Nate. Listen to Mei, OK"?

Nate nodded, and Arthur put him down. They both watched as their son ran down the beach towards Mei's bungalow.

Arthur looked at Julia and laughed. "It's a really small fish", he said as he placed himself behind her.

Julia laughed back.

Arthur put his arms around her. "How are my girls doing"? he asked as he placed his hand on Julia's bare and round belly.

Julia placed her hands over his and threaded her fingers in his. She smiled upon seeing them entwined, the sun shining down on her diamond engagement ring and their white gold wedding bands next to each other.

"Your daughter and I are counting down the days.. Ok maybe not her but I am. She's running out of space and giving me sleepless nights".

He turned her around and caressed her face and kissed her. It had been five years since she had entered his life and changed it in a way he could never have imagined, and he couldn't imagine spending a single day without her by his side. Who would have known that his last assignment would change his life forever and would bring him everything he thought he would never have the chance of having? A beautiful, amazing and loving wife, a son and as Julia had said, a daughter in the coming days. All of that he had won by turning down Gideon VanKirk's checks.

Julia had always been right, money can buy you a lot of things, but not the most beautiful and simplest things in life, simply because you can't put a price on love and happiness! And thanks to those two things, he was the richest man on Earth!