A hapless Italian suitor wound up famous for the wrong reasons after footage of the mortifying moment his girlfriend allegedly turned down an elaborate marriage proposal wound up on TikTok.
More than 13 million people have already tuned in to a video uploaded to TikTok on Christmas Eve, showing the pitiable paramour — known only as Valerio — and his ladylove, dancing on Rome’s romantic Via Condotti while being serenaded by a local tenor.
The soon-to-be-ruined Romeo then gets down on bended knee to present his inamorata with an engagement ring, as crowds of onlookers clap in delight.
The romantic public gesture quickly goes awry, as the mortified woman begs her oblivious beau to stand up.
“I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t ready. But is this why we came to Rome?” the woman asks in Italian, according to local publication La Stampa, per the Daily Mail.
“Good @Cartier has a 30-day return policy,” Valerio dryly captioned the viral clip.
“But is it yes or no?” the Italian man responds in his native language before the girlfriend replies: “No.”
The Post has reached out to Valerio for further information.
While some sympathized with the mortified man, dozens of TikTok viewers took to the comments section to scold the content creator for proposing in public.
“Public proposals are there just to put pressure on the woman to say yes,” one unimpressed pundit proclaimed.
“I admire her honesty and courage to say no when the whole public is pressuring her to say yes! This is blackmail and she didn’t fall for it,” another raged.
However, some skeptics theorized that the proposal was not real and that Valerio had staged the event for social media fame.
“This looks so staged!!” one cynic snapped before a second added: “It’s mind-blowing people believe this.”
A rash of “fake” wedding proposals left TikTokers divided earlier this year.
The TikToker took to the app to share a follow-up video on Christmas Day, with a caption that read: “You think life is hard? Try getting dumped on Christmas Eve after flying across the country and getting rejected in front of 1.4 million people.”
However, it doesn’t appear the Italian stallion will be single for long, with several fawning women racing the comments section.
“You’re so sweet,” one cooed. “Where can I find someone like you?”
