the Billionaires circle

Chapter 32 Mistaken Identities

May was bustling around her restaurant, New Beginnings, preparing for the evening rush. The restaurant had quickly become a popular spot in town, and today was no exception. She glanced at her watch, noting that her parents from Korea would be arriving soon. They had flown in for a surprise visit, eager to see the restaurant she had worked so hard to create.

As she arranged a bouquet of fresh flowers on one of the tables, she heard the door chime. She looked up to see Mateo Ramirez walking in, a warm smile on his face. Since their unexpected reunion, Mateo had become a frequent visitor, offering help and support whenever he could.

"Hey, May," he greeted, walking over to her. "Need any help?"

"Hi, Mateo," she replied, smiling. "Actually, my parents are arriving soon. They're excited to see the place. Want to stay and meet them?"

Mateo's eyes lit up. "I'd love to. It'd be nice to finally meet the people who raised such an incredible woman."

May blushed slightly, touched by his words. Just as she was about to respond, the door opened again, and her parents walked in, looking around the restaurant with wide eyes.

"Mom! Dad!" May exclaimed, rushing over to hug them. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Her parents embraced her warmly, their faces beaming with pride. "May, this place is beautiful," her mother said, looking around in admiration.

Her father nodded in agreement. "You've done a wonderful job, sweetheart."

May felt a swell of happiness as she introduced Mateo. "Mom, Dad, this is Mateo Ramirez, a good friend of mine."

Mateo extended his hand, smiling politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Kim."

May's parents exchanged a glance, their smiles widening. "It's so nice to meet you, Mateo," Mrs. Kim said, shaking his hand. "We've heard so much about you."

May shot Mateo a confused look, but he just shrugged, equally puzzled. As they all sat down at a table, May's mother couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Mrs. Kim asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

May's eyes widened, and she quickly glanced at Mateo, who looked just as surprised. "Oh, no, Mom, you've got it wrong. Mateo and I are just friends."

But her parents exchanged knowing looks, clearly unconvinced. "It's okay, sweetheart," her father said, patting her hand. "We can see how happy you are together."

May sighed, realizing it was futile to argue. Instead, she and Mateo exchanged amused glances and decided to go along with it for the time being. Over the course of the evening, they shared stories and laughter, enjoying the warmth of family and friendship.

After her parents left for the evening, May and Mateo stayed behind to clean up. They worked in comfortable silence, occasionally stealing glances at each other.

"I guess we make a convincing couple," Mateo said, breaking the silence with a chuckle.

May laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, I guess we do. My parents can be a bit...enthusiastic."

Mateo smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "Well, for what it's worth, I didn't mind the idea."

May felt her cheeks flush as she met his gaze. "I didn't mind either."

They stood there for a moment, the unspoken feelings between them finally surfacing. It was as if her parents' mistaken assumption had opened a door they had both been hesitant to step through.

May took a deep breath, feeling a sense of clarity. "Mateo, would you like to go out with me sometime? Like, a real date?"

Mateo's smile widened, his eyes sparkling with joy. "I'd love that, May."

As they finished cleaning up, May couldn't help but feel grateful for her parents' mix-up. Sometimes, life had a funny way of pushing people in the right direction, and she was excited to see where this new path would lead.

As they left the restaurant together, May knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful new chapter in their lives.