Woman Thought Pretending to Be Someone’s Girlfriend at a Wedding Would Be Fun Until She Wished She Hadn’t — Story of the Day

Stuck in an elevator with a stranger was bad enough. But when Lena found out Dylan—a charming, suit-clad mystery man—needed a fake date for a wedding the next day, things got even weirder. A power outage, a bold proposition, and one tempting question: Would she really say yes to a total stranger?

Lena checked her watch for the third time in a minute. Late. Again.

She exhaled sharply, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she strode down the boutique hotel’s hallway.

The air smelled of fresh lilies, their floral sharpness mixed with the faintest trace of citrus and polished wood.

It was the kind of scent that clung to weddings—the kind that brought memories of champagne toasts, aching feet in high heels, and teary speeches that went on too long.

A fitting reminder, considering her best friend had gotten married last week.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Lena reached the elevator and jabbed the button, as if sheer determination could speed up the machinery.

She bounced on her heels, fingers tapping anxiously against the strap of her bag.

The soft chime of the elevator arriving barely registered in her brain before she darted inside.

Just as the doors started closing, a blur of movement caught her eye. A man lunged in after her, his shoulder bumping into hers as her suitcase wobbled dangerously.

“Sorry—” he started, a breathless chuckle in his voice. He straightened, brushing an imaginary wrinkle from his crisp suit.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Lena barely spared him a glance. “No worries.”

And then, everything stopped.

The elevator jerked violently. The lights flickered once, twice, then steadied. The hum of movement vanished.

Lena’s stomach clenched. A thick, loaded silence filled the small space.

She pressed the button repeatedly. Nothing.

“Oh, no. No, no, no,” she muttered, pressing her palm against the cool metal doors as if she could will them open.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Beside her, the man let out a deep sigh and leaned against the wall. “Classic. Always when you’re in a rush.”

Lena finally turned to him fully. Sharp blue eyes. Tousled blond hair. A suit that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover.

A Hallmark movie hero, if she’d ever seen one.

“I take it you have somewhere important to be?” he asked, his lips quirking in amusement.

“A dinner with a friend,” she muttered. “She got married last week. We planned this before I leave town.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Ah,” he nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Funny coincidence. The wedding I’m going to is tomorrow.”

Lena blinked. “Wait. You’re—”

“Dylan.” He extended a hand, palm up, as if this was the most normal introduction in the world. “Groom’s best friend. And emergency wedding date seeker.”

Before she could even process that, the intercom crackled overhead.

“Uh, folks? Seems like we’ve got a small power outage affecting the elevators. We’re working on it. Might take a bit.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Lena closed her eyes briefly. “Perfect.”

Dylan chuckled. “Look on the bright side. At least we’re not alone in here.”

She shot him a look. “Right. Because being stuck with a stranger is somehow better than being stuck alone.”

He shrugged, flashing a lazy grin. “Depends on the stranger, doesn’t it?”

They stood in awkward silence for a moment. The hum of hotel activity beyond the metal doors felt distant, as if they were suspended in time.

Then, out of nowhere, Dylan asked, “So, any chance you’re up for a second wedding in a week?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Lena turned to him slowly, brow raised. “Excuse me?”

“I need a date for the wedding.” He smirked, leaning against the wall like this was just another casual conversation.

“My ex is going to be there, and I’d rather not be the guy sitting alone at the singles table. Think of it as a fake date for a noble cause.”

Lena let out a short laugh. Was this guy serious?

“You’re really asking a total stranger to be your plus-one while we’re trapped in an elevator?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Dylan shrugged, completely unbothered. “So, is it a yes or a no?”

Lena never thought she’d actually go through with it.

The whole thing had sounded ridiculous—a fake date with a man she barely knew, just to help him save face at a wedding. And yet, here she was.

She smoothed her hands down the fabric of her red dress, the one she had almost left hanging in the back of her suitcase.

It wasn’t her usual style—too bold, too eye-catching, too much.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

But something about tonight made her want to be someone else, even if just for a few hours.

Dylan stood beside her, a glass of champagne in one hand, his other resting lightly on the small of her back. Steady, effortless, completely at ease. Unlike her.

She forced a polite smile as yet another guest approached, throwing curious glances her way.

Weddings were strange like that—everyone wanted to know who you were, why you were there, if your presence meant something.

Dylan, on the other hand, played the part perfectly.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

He leaned down, murmuring in her ear, “That woman in the blue dress has been trying to figure out if we’re engaged for the past ten minutes.”

Lena barely stopped herself from laughing. “Should I flash a fake ring just to mess with her?”

His eyes twinkled. “Tempting. But then I’d have to plan an even faker proposal.”

They moved through the ballroom like they had done this a hundred times before—his touch easy, his words charming, his smile like a safety net.

And then there was the dance.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The moment his fingers laced with hers, the moment he guided her into a slow, fluid rhythm, Lena forgot for a second that this wasn’t real.

His grip was firm but gentle, the kind that told her to trust him. The warmth of his palm against her waist sent an unfamiliar shiver down her spine.

This was pretend. She knew that. But something about the way he looked at her—like she was the only person in the room—made it too easy to forget.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

As the bride and groom swayed in the center of the dance floor, Lena tilted her head up. “So, tell me,” she murmured, “what’s the deal with this ex of yours?”

Dylan took a sip of champagne, and for the first time all night, his smile flickered. Just for a second.

“Maya,” he said, rolling the name on his tongue like it was still a part of him. “We dated for a while. Things got… complicated.”

Lena raised a brow. “Complicated how?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

He exhaled slowly, eyes flicking down to the golden liquid swirling in his glass. “She thought I wasn’t serious enough. That I didn’t have time for her.”

“And did you?”

Dylan paused, then let out a dry chuckle. “Maybe not. But I was trying.”

Before Lena could respond, someone called Dylan’s name.

She turned just in time to see her.

Maya.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Lena didn’t need an introduction to know exactly who she was.

Tall. Poised. Beautiful in that effortless way that made other women feel like they were trying too hard.

Her presence filled the room with a quiet kind of power—like she knew she belonged anywhere she went.

And when she reached Dylan, she hugged him.

Not a casual, polite hug. Not an awkward, we-used-to-date hug.

Something in between. Something that made Lena’s chest tighten in a way it shouldn’t have.

She wasn’t supposed to care. This wasn’t real.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

And yet, it sure as hell felt like it was.

The reception was in full swing—laughter, clinking glasses, music that vibrated through the floor—but Lena barely heard any of it.

Her fingers gripped the stem of her champagne glass a little too tightly as she watched Dylan and Maya across the room.

Too close. Too familiar. Too much. Their voices were low, their expressions unreadable. Whatever they were saying, it wasn’t for her to hear.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

And yet, she couldn’t look away.

This was supposed to be a game. A favor. A night of harmless pretending. But now, her stomach twisted, and she hated the feeling.

A shadow moved beside her. “Everything okay?”

Dylan.

Lena blinked, dragging her gaze from Maya. She forced a smile, the kind that didn’t reach her eyes. “Great. You and Maya catching up?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Dylan’s frown was subtle but there. “Not really. She just wanted to check in.”

Check in. Right.

“Lena,” he started, voice softer now, careful. “You know this isn’t—”

“Not real?” she cut in, her heart hammering. “Yeah. I know.”

The words felt wrong.

She swallowed hard. She needed to leave before she made a fool of herself.

“Thanks for the night, Dylan,” she said, turning on her heel. “But I think I’m done playing pretend.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

And then, she walked away.

Lena had her bag packed before the sun had fully risen. She had spent the night convincing herself that walking away was the right choice. No messy feelings. No unnecessary complications. Just a clean break.

But as she slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped into the hotel lobby, her chest felt heavier than it should. Maybe it was just the lack of sleep. Maybe it was something else.

She headed toward the café, craving caffeine and distraction, but fate had other plans.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She turned the corner too fast, and suddenly—collision.

Hot coffee sloshed dangerously close to her dress as Dylan stumbled back, gripping his cup to stop the spill.

“Lena?” His voice was a mix of surprise and something else—something unreadable.

She cursed under her breath. Of course. Of course, she had to run into him now.

“I was just—” she started, but Dylan wasn’t buying it.

“Leaving?” His eyes locked onto hers, sharp, searching. “Without saying anything?”

Lena exhaled, torn between pride and something that felt a lot like longing. “It was just supposed to be a one-time thing, right?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Dylan was silent for a beat, then let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair.

“Yeah,” he admitted, voice rough. “That’s what I thought, too.” He hesitated, then took a step closer. “Until I realized I didn’t want it to end.”

Lena’s pulse stumbled. “What?”

“Last night,” he said, his voice softer now, steady, “I watched you walk away, and all I could think about was how much I didn’t want you to go.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Her heart thudded against her ribs. “Dylan—”

“I don’t care about Maya,” he cut in, his tone firm, certain. “I don’t care about anyone else. I care about you.”

Lena wanted to believe him. But doubt—fear—clawed at her. “What if this is just—”

“It’s not,” Dylan interrupted, seeing right through her hesitation. “You feel it, too. Don’t you?”

She swallowed hard.

Yes.

Yes, she did.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

So, for once, she stopped overthinking.

She stepped forward, reached up, and kissed him.

A kiss that was warm. Real. Nothing like pretending.

Dylan smiled against her lips. “Does this mean you’ll stay?”

Lena laughed softly. “Maybe. But only if you promise to stop getting us stuck in elevators.”

Dylan chuckled, his hand slipping easily around her waist. “No guarantees.”

And with that, Lena finally let herself fall.

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Boy Promises to Water Old Lady’s Plants after She Moves to Nursing Home, Finds Note Left in Soil – Story of the Day

When Daniel saw his older neighbor fighting with her son over her plants, he offered to help and volunteered to water her garden for her. Sometime later, he found a note buried in the soil that changed everything in the most surprising way.

“I can’t believe you would ask that of me! I can’t come here every day to water your plants! If you gave me the house, I would do it!” Daniel heard someone shouting and stopped his bike in front of a pretty little house with a lovely garden. He knew that an older woman, Mrs. Carrino, lived there, but he had never talked to her, and he had no idea who was yelling.

Suddenly, Daniel saw a man exiting the house, still yelling, and the older woman was following him behind. “Arnold, I asked you to come and help me, and all you’ve talked about is getting this house! Are you crazy? Do you want me to die so you can have my house?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Daniel’s eyebrows went up, and he thought he should leave, but he was rooted in place.

Suddenly, the sound of metal crashing against each other made him flinch. “What the –”

“You’re being a drama queen, mother. This house will go to me anyway. I can’t believe you’re giving me this attitude when I came to help you move!”

“Leave now if that’s how you’re going to act!” Mrs. Carrino stated, which made Arnold stomp to his car and drive off in a huff. They were so engrossed in their fight that they didn’t even notice Daniel standing there with his bike.

Finally, the older woman saw him. “Oh, boy. What are you doing here? Do I know you?” she asked.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I live two houses down the street. I’m Daniel, Caroline’s son,” he stated, pointing back to his house. “I’m sorry, but I was biking around and heard the yelling. I got worried. Are you alright, Mrs. Carrino?”

“Oh, I recognize you now, and it’s so nice that you know my name. Don’t worry about that. It was just my son being a brat,” she explained.

“Why?”

“Well… I’m moving to a nursing home, and I asked him to come and help me. But he only came here to ask if I could give him the house. He said he was going to move in here. But I know he’s just going to sell it because he doesn’t value investment like I do. I worked hard to earn this place, and as long as I’m alive, I’m not selling it,” Mrs. Carrino revealed. “But then he made a scene after I asked him to water my plants. And I believe you saw the rest of the fight.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I can do that,” Daniel said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Do what?”

“Water your plants.”

“I can’t pay you, dear,” Mrs. Carrino said, her eyes apologetic.

“I know. But I live so close. It’s not a problem,” Daniel insisted, and the older woman smiled brightly at him.

A few days later, Mrs. Carrino moved to a nearby nursing home in Florida, and Daniel kept his promise. He visited her home almost every day to water her plants and was happy to do so. Soon enough, he started to love gardening and would visit Mrs. Carrino to ask about adding some new plants.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Of course! And make sure to watch out for the soil,” she said, winking at him, although Daniel had no idea why she was acting cheeky.

Daniel began buying and adding new plants to the garden, thinking it would be great to start a gardening company in the future so his family wouldn’t have to struggle so much. His mother worked two jobs on the weekdays and one on weekends to keep him and his siblings fed and to pay rent. But it was not enough.

He only had a bike because he had found an old one and had taken side gigs to repair it. But gardening gave him an escape from all those money worries, and he felt terrific after planting something new and seeing how it started to grow. He never expected what he would find in the garden one day.

He had gotten some azaleas, which he read thrived in the Florida weather, and had started digging with a tiny shovel on a specific spot of the grass. Suddenly, the sound of metal crashing against each other made him flinch. “What the –”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Dropping the shovel, he used his hands to unearth a mason jar with a metal top and found a note inside.

“Dear Daniel! Thank you for your help, this house is now yours! Go inside and find all the paperwork. You and your family can move in whenever you want!”

Daniel couldn’t believe his eyes, but he rushed inside, using the key Mrs. Carrino left him. On the kitchen counter, he saw the title to the house. Although he couldn’t understand what most of it said, he saw his name at the bottom.

Still in shock, he called Mrs. Carrino, who confirmed everything. “You’re going to need to sign it to complete the transfer. But I wanted you to find the note first!” Mrs. Carrino said.

His mother couldn’t believe it. They could move into the house and stop paying rent. There was no mortgage either, which would help his family immensely. They were so grateful for the older woman’s gift that his mother and other siblings started visiting her often, thinking of her as a grandmother.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

But during their move, Daniel discovered something even more curious. In Mrs. Carrino’s old room, there was another note. It was the same as the one he had found, but instead, it said “Arnold.” The older woman was actually planning to give her son the house if he helped her with her plants. But she changed her mind, and Daniel received a huge present just for being kind.

It was a lesson he would never forget.

What can we learn from this story?

  • Aspire to be someone like Daniel, not Arnold. Arnold pretended to want to help his mother, but he only wanted her house. Meanwhile, Daniel did it out of the goodness of his heart.
  • You should never feel entitled to an inheritance. While most parents like giving their children the results of their hard work, children should never feel entitled to it. Arnold assumed he was getting his mother’s house but he was wrong.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a boy who helped an older woman carry her groceries and received money later.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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