16 : Nothing But The Bes

That morning, Eun Young brought her car to the mechanic for its regular maintenance before heading to work. She was usually a punctual professional that's why her tardiness that morning was a real surprise to her fellow workmates. But given her spotless record, they simply assumed that she was held back by family matters.

Eun Young only had a few patients today. Most of her tasks were paperwork-related so she spent majority of her time that day in the office. And to make up for her late arrival, she decided to work a bit more later than usual so Eun Young called home to inform the head of the household helpers, Mrs. Bong, to look out for the kids.

She was in the middle of signing some medical documents when someone knocked on the door of her office.

"Come in!" Eun Young said.

Soon after, a young nurse peeked from the door. She carefully entered the room and bowed to greet her superior.

"Dr. Lee, I'm sorry to disturb you, but a VIP told me to personally hand this over to you." The nurse produced a black box from behind her clipboard and placed it on Eun Young's desk.

"Who is it from?" Eun Young couldn't help but ask.

The box was clothed in black velvet. Atop the cover, Eun Young's name was elegantly carved in gold. Where did this come from?

"Well, he said he left a note inside so you would know who it's from. I guess he didn't want me to answer the question for you." The nurse shrugged.

The person is a he? The mysterious man triggered Eun Young's curiosity. She couldn't recall someone in particular that could possibly give her something like this...

Glancing at her wristwatch, the nurse politely excused herself from Eun Young. "I'll get going now. I just really had to get that out of my hands since I'm really afraid I might lose it or misplace it somewhere. See you around, Dr. Lee!"

When Eun Young was left in her office, she lifted the cover of the box. The packaging gave her the impression that it was a gift. Furthermore, the box itself looked really expensive! Eun Young just had to know who it was from.

Upon opening the box, there was a card on top that reads:

To my one and only daughter-in-law,

I sincerely apologize for my late greetings. Nevertheless, I'm wishing you all the best.

Lee Jung Il

Beneath the card, a dazzling diamond necklace rested on the box's silk interior. The various sizes of diamonds were interconnected by gold and just the sight of it instantly made Eun Young feel the weight of the box. Moreover, it also came with a pair of earings too!

Eun Young's father-in-law always liked giving her gifts but so far, this seemed like it was the most expensive of all. She would be restless if she didn't thank the elder personally so she quickly made a call.

After three consecutive rings, Lee Jung Il answered.

"Father-in-law! How are you?" Eun Young greated him enthusiastically.

"Ah, Eun Young! I'm fine. I'm a bit old, but I'm fine! How about you? Have you received my gift?" Jung Il merrily asked from the other line.

"Yes, father-in-law. It's really beautiful and I really appreciate it! However, isn't this too expensive? I feel like I don't deserve it." Eun Young frowned.

As she played around the box, she accidentally tipped the cover over only to see the brand name. Eun Young was shocked as this label offers only the most expensive jewelries there is! Even her wedding ring is from this brand!

"Nonsense! My only daughter-in-law deserves nothing but the best!" Jung Il exclaimed and the man heartily chuckled.

"Thank you father-in-law! You're too kind." Eun Young politely replied.

Although she still felt uncomfortable with the gift, Eun Young didn't speak about it further as she might offend Jung Il. The old man really liked her as Min Jae's wife. He had always been fond of her since the day their marriage was arranged.

Eun Young casually chatted with her father-in-law for a little while before finally returning to finish her work.

---

It had been a busy day and Eun Young was really exhausted after finishing her shift. She should've went home a few hours ago but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Especially since there were emergency patients who just arrived in the hospital that required medical assistance, she had to stay and help.

Eun Young got off of work at around midnight. It was raining again when she stepped outside. The rain was cold and together with the freezing breeze, they instantly brought shivers down her skin. Eun Young wrapped her coat tighter around her body.

She looked up to see the dark and cloudy sky. Large droplets of rain were falling and the winds started to blow stronger. Eun Young had no umbrella with her and by the looks of it, a storm was just beginning to brew.

As unfortunate as she can get, the mechanic informed her earlier that her car needs to stay in for a few more days in the shop. They had to clean and free some blockages and it would not be finsihed until a few more days. As a result, Eun Young will have to take the cab tonight.

However, the clear road suggested otherwise. There were almost no vehicles travelling... much more a cab! The subway station wasn't that far but she'll have to cross first the freezing rain to get there. It wasn't the best option but after 10 minutes of waiting, it became the only option left.

Eun Young drew her coat above her head as a makeshift umbrella. Just as she was about to launch through the rain, a blue Bugatti Chiron screeched to a stop beside her. It happened so quickly that a man in a business suit stepped down from the driver's seat only to run up to her and share with her an umbrella.