Instead of a vacation, my husband and I renovated our kitchen!

Todayâs couple made the best decision of their lives. Instead of going on a vacation for a month, they chose to renovate their miserable-looking kitchen and change it beyond recognition. Its condition definitely left a lot to be desired and urgently needed reconstruction.

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Others would probably choose to enjoy their time somewhere remote and desirable, yet our heroes considered giving their kitchen a new look a lot more important task than their vacation which eventually turned out to be the best option.


For the design, they chose warm tones. The final results exceeded the familyâs expectations. The atmosphere was now welcoming. To say that the before-after photos blew up the network is nothing to say.


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

Stuck in an elevator with a stranger was bad enough. But when Lena found out Dylanâa charming, suit-clad mystery manâneeded 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 hotelâs 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 weddingsâthe 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
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.
“Sorryâ” he started, a breathless chuckle in his voice. He straightened, brushing an imaginary wrinkle from his crisp suit.

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.
Lenaâs 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
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 sheâd 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
“Ah,” he nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Funny coincidence. The wedding Iâm going to is tomorrow.”
Lena blinked. “Wait. Youâreâ”
“Dylan.” He extended a hand, palm up, as if this was the most normal introduction in the world. “Groomâs best friend. And emergency wedding date seeker.”
Before she could even process that, the intercom crackled overhead.
“Uh, folks? Seems like weâve got a small power outage affecting the elevators. Weâre working on it. Might take a bit.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Lena closed her eyes briefly. “Perfect.”
Dylan chuckled. “Look on the bright side. At least weâre 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, doesnât 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 youâre up for a second wedding in a week?”

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 Iâd 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?
“Youâre really asking a total stranger to be your plus-one while weâre trapped in an elevator?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Dylan shrugged, completely unbothered. “So, is it a yes or a no?”
Lena never thought sheâd actually go through with it.
The whole thing had sounded ridiculousâa 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 wasnât her usual styleâtoo bold, too eye-catching, too much.

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 thatâeveryone 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
He leaned down, murmuring in her ear, âThat woman in the blue dress has been trying to figure out if weâre engaged for the past ten minutes.â
Lena barely stopped herself from laughing. âShould I flash a fake ring just to mess with her?â
His eyes twinkled. âTempting. But then Iâd have to plan an even faker proposal.â
They moved through the ballroom like they had done this a hundred times beforeâhis touch easy, his words charming, his smile like a safety net.
And then there was the dance.

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 wasnât 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 herâlike she was the only person in the roomâmade it too easy to forget.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
As the bride and groom swayed in the center of the dance floor, Lena tilted her head up. âSo, tell me,â she murmured, âwhatâs the deal with this ex of yours?â
Dylan took a sip of champagne, and for the first time all night, his smile flickered. Just for a second.
âMaya,â he said, rolling the name on his tongue like it was still a part of him. âWe dated for a while. Things got⊠complicated.â
Lena raised a brow. âComplicated how?â

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
He exhaled slowly, eyes flicking down to the golden liquid swirling in his glass. âShe thought I wasnât serious enough. That I didnât have time for her.â
âAnd did you?â
Dylan paused, then let out a dry chuckle. âMaybe not. But I was trying.â
Before Lena could respond, someone called Dylanâs name.
She turned just in time to see her.
Maya.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Lena didnât 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 powerâlike 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 Lenaâs chest tighten in a way it shouldnât have.
She wasnât supposed to care. This wasnât real.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
And yet, it sure as hell felt like it was.
The reception was in full swingâlaughter, clinking glasses, music that vibrated through the floorâbut 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 wasnât for her to hear.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
And yet, she couldnât 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. âEverything okay?â
Dylan.
Lena blinked, dragging her gaze from Maya. She forced a smile, the kind that didnât reach her eyes. âGreat. You and Maya catching up?â

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Dylanâs frown was subtle but there. âNot really. She just wanted to check in.â
Check in. Right.
âLena,â he started, voice softer now, careful. âYou know this isnâtââ
âNot real?â she cut in, her heart hammering. âYeah. I know.â
The words felt wrong.
She swallowed hard. She needed to leave before she made a fool of herself.
âThanks for the night, Dylan,â she said, turning on her heel. âBut I think Iâm done playing pretend.â

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
She turned the corner too fast, and suddenlyâcollision.
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 elseâsomething unreadable.
She cursed under her breath. Of course. Of course, she had to run into him now.
âI was justââ she started, but Dylan wasnât buying it.
âLeaving?â His eyes locked onto hers, sharp, searching. âWithout saying anything?â
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
Dylan was silent for a beat, then let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair.
“Yeah,” he admitted, voice rough. “Thatâs what I thought, too.” He hesitated, then took a step closer. “Until I realized I didnât want it to end.”
Lena’s pulse stumbled. âWhat?â
âLast night,â he said, his voice softer now, steady, âI watched you walk away, and all I could think about was how much I didnât want you to go.â

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Her heart thudded against her ribs. “Dylanâ”
âI donât care about Maya,â he cut in, his tone firm, certain. âI donât care about anyone else. I care about you.â
Lena wanted to believe him. But doubtâfearâclawed at her. âWhat if this is justââ
âItâs not,â Dylan interrupted, seeing right through her hesitation. “You feel it, too. Donât you?”
She swallowed hard.
Yes.
Yes, she did.

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. âDoes this mean youâll stay?â
Lena laughed softly. âMaybe. But only if you promise to stop getting us stuck in elevators.â
Dylan chuckled, his hand slipping easily around her waist. âNo guarantees.â
And with that, Lena finally let herself fall.
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