The expression on Greta's face froze solid. She realized, a beat too late, what she'd said.
"Victor!"
"If you hadn't provoked me, I wouldn't have said those things."
She snatched the ring off the ground and forced it onto my finger. "You swore you'd never take this off. I'll forgive you this once, but if there's a next time, I'll never speak to you again."
That threat had worked on me a hundred times before. This time, it didn't land.
I pushed Greta's hand away, slipped the ring off right in front of her, and dropped it on the ground.
She stood frozen, shock written all over her face.
"Victor! Have you lost your mind?"
I let out a cold laugh. "Yeah. I have. I was out of my mind for nine straight years. That's more than enough."
I turned and walked away.
Greta tried to follow, but Melvin caught her in his arms.
"Greta! He knows exactly how you feel about him. He's playing hard to get. If you chase after him now, you're falling right into his trap!"