Just before Valentine’s Day, Brooke Daniels received a surprise package in the mail from her boyfriend, Roy Williams. In it, there were funds to pay her bills, a baseball (???), and…an engagement ring, along with a recorded message. BG brides, if you're cringing at the thought of being proposed to from a box, you aren’t alone—Brooke turned him down. But here's the kicker: She kept the rock.
The catch to this story is that she’s a former Miss Texas and Roy is a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys who just filed a lawsuit over the $76,000 diamond after being dumped.
Aside from the he-said she-said debates (Brooke’s dad allegedly reported the ring lost, Roy allegedly initially said she could keep it), we can’t help but wonder: What happens to engagement rings when popping the question on bended knee (or in this case, UPS) doesn’t lead to happily-ever-after?
Granted, it’s probably the last issue ex-couples worry about, given the seriousness of breaking off a potential marriage, but it’s a valid Q given the investment that goes into purchasing a ring and the numerous court cases dedicated to this topic each year. Etiquette dictates that giving the bauble back to the suitor would be the right thing for Brooke to do, since she called off the engagement. Crystal Harris, Hugh Hefner's "Runaway Bride", also recently made headlines when she was spotted cavorting in Vegas on what was supposed to be her wedding day, flashing a smile for the cameras with her sparkler intact. At least she returned the couple's dog at the Playboy Mansion...
Personal opinions aside, we did some digging to find out which side the law is on. Believe it or not, it can get quite dicey and depends on which state the breakup took place in, since some take into account whether the ex-groom or ex-bride did the dumping. However, this New York Times article explains that the basic premise of most laws is that "the engagement ring is a conditional gift — the condition being that a marriage take place. And if it does not, the agreement is rendered null and void." In plain English, this means that it looks like Brooke is going to have to pony up the ring, after all.
Leave a comment and tell us which side you're on!
—Stefania Sainato
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