My Uncle Seized My Land, and I Made Him Regret It

My uncle tore down my family's old house without asking anyone and put up a new one on my land, and he made it sound so noble too.

Rosalie, your uncle's only looking out for you. You said yourself you'd have nowhere to stay when you came back. Well, now the house is built, so you've got a home too, haven't you?

"Come on, come see your room."

He pointed to the triangular storage space under the stairs. "There, that's the bedroom your uncle set aside just for you."

I was instantly burning with rage.

But because he was my own uncle, I forced the anger back down.

"Then I'll build a bed-and-breakfast on the plot next to yoursthere's plenty of room."

The second he heard that, he blew up. "Absolutely not! We need that plot next door, you can't touch it!"

So my uncle meant to grab every last bit of my family's big homestead plot for himself.

Faced with an uncle who wouldn't listen to reason, I made a decision right there on the spot.

I'd transfer the use rights to the family land over to the one person my uncle had feared his whole lifehis younger brother, my Uncle Basil, who had a history of mental illness.

After three years of grinding it out in the big city, I'd saved up a little money, and I planned to go back home and use the family land my father left me to build a bed-and-breakfast, to help revive tourism in my hometown.

But when I got back home, I was stunned to find that the old house I'd grown up in was gone, replaced by a brand-new three-story house.

I knocked on the door of the new house, and my uncle's wife answered.

She froze when she saw me, and it took her a long moment to react.

"Well, if it isn't Rosalie. What brings you back?"

From her tone, she didn't seem all that happy to see me.

"Mrs. Whitney, you built a new house and didn't say a word to me about it."

My cousin came out when he heard the commotion.

His brows were knitted up high.

"Rosalie Whitney, you come to my house and don't even think to bring anything? Showing up empty-handed, and you've got the nerve."

"The things for you and your parents are in the trunk of my car."

My cousin rushed straight out into the yard. "Open the trunk."

I clicked the car key, and the trunk slowly lifted open.

He started digging through it right away.

"What is all this? Not one thing worth anything. You've worked in the big city three whole years, you finally come back for once, and you can't even think to buy us something nice to show some respect."

The fruit, snacks, and tea I'd bought had cost close to a thousand dollars, which I figured was more than enough for a visit to relatives.

My cousin had been like this his whole lifegreedy, never satisfied.

I ignored him and asked his mother, "Where's my uncle?"

"Sleeping upstairs. I'll go wake him."

A long while later, my uncle finally came downstairs, yawning.

"Rosalie, you're back just in time. I've got something to talk to you about."

"You got three hundred thousand dollars? Hand it over first, help your cousin out of a tight spot."

Before I could even ask about the house, he was already trying to borrow money.

"Uncle, I don't have that kind of money."

"Then whatever you've got, hand it all over to your cousin."

"I'm starting a business with some friends. I don't have any spare cash on me."

The moment he heard that, his face changed.

"You're a girl. You'll get married sooner or later, so what's all this about starting a business? It's absolute nonsense! You'd be better off handing the money over to your cousin. Once he's married, then our family's big worry will finally be settled."

"Uncle Leslie, I have no plans to get married right now. Besides, who says a woman can't start a business?"

"I came back this time to build a bed-and-breakfast here in our hometown and get into tourism."

"Actually, I've got a question for you. You built a house on my homestead plothow come you never said a word to me about it?"

Leslie flew into a rage.

He glared at me. "I'm building a house on my own family's land. Do I need to tell you?"

"Uncle Leslie, your house sits right in the middle of both our plots, and half of it takes up my homestead. And you tore down my old family house on top of that, so you really did have to tell me."

"What do you mean, 'your homestead'? This is the Whitney family's homestead, and I'll take what I please!"

"Your old house was practically a wreck about to collapse. I tore it down to do you a favor, and I didn't even ask you for money!"

"Rosalie, your uncle is looking out for you. You said yourself you didn't even have a place to stay when you came back. Now the house is up, so you've got a home too, don't you?"

"Come on, come take a look at your room."

Leslie pointed to the triangular junk closet under the stairs. "Therethat's the bedroom your uncle set aside specially for you."

I pushed open the door to that room. It was pitch dark, not a window in sight, reeking of mildew, and so cramped it couldn't even fit a single bed.

Leslie, being the eldest of the family, had never once been reasonable.

Back when my dad was alive, he was always trying to run our family's affairs.

Later my dad passed, my mom remarried, and I went to the city to work. He wanted to meddle in our family's business, but there was no way for him to get his hands in anymore.

Leslie was an elder, after all, so I didn't want to have an outright falling-out with him.

"Then I'll build the bed-and-breakfast on that plot beside yours. There's plenty of room."

"You want to build a bed-and-breakfast next to my house?"

"Yes. I came back this time to look the site over in person."

Leslie waved his hand.

"That won't do. We need that plot next door. You can't touch it!"

"Isn't your house already finished?"

"The house is finished, but you can't have a house with no yard!"

"Your wife wants to grow vegetables on that land, and she needs a stretch set aside to raise pigs and chickens. And once your cousin gets married and has kids, I'm planning to build a soccer field for the kids right there in our own yard."

"The family's tractor and car all need somewhere to park too. Oh, and I'm planning to put up a storage shed for goods."

Well, well. Leslie had my homestead all mapped out, down to the last detail.

He'd assigned a use to every single plotthe only thing he never considered was that this plot was mine.

"Uncle Leslie, seems to me you're still short on space. Why not just make use of Uncle Basil's plot too?"

We Whitneys have three homestead plots in all, joined together in a row.

My dad was the second of the three brothers, so the plot he was allotted was in the middle, with Leslie on one side and Basil on the other.

Originally none of us interfered with each other; we each lived quietly on our own plot.

After my father passed and I left to work in the city, Basil's family moved to the city too, and both of our homesteads sat empty.

Leslie had joined his own homestead to mine and mapped it all out neat and clearyet he didn't dare take an inch of Basil's land.

He was afraid of Basil. Terrified of him.

Because Basil had once split Leslie's head open, and Leslie spent seven days in the ICU before he pulled through.

Marlene and my cousin called the police, dead set on putting Basil away.

But Basil had a history of mental illness, and in the end nothing came of it.

From then on, Leslie's family would go out of their way to avoid Basil whenever they laid eyes on him.

"Your Uncle Basil's plot isn't any good, and besides, I don't need that much room."

"But Uncle Leslie, I don't think I ever agreed to let you take over my whole homestead plot, did I?"

"You've already got this house built, so fine, but you can't take any of the rest."

"What do you mean, 'your homestead'? This is our Whitney family land! Now that your father's dead, this homestead belongs to your eldest cousin. What right does a mere girl like you have to inherit it?"

"Uncle Leslie, it's broad daylight and your brother's already dead. The property ownership certificate for this plot has my name on it."

"So what if it's got your name on it? I'm the head of this family, and I decide how our land gets divided!"

I knew Leslie was unreasonable and overbearing, so I didn't plan to waste any more breath on him.

I had just turned around when Leslie called out behind me, "You going to go see the village head?"

"No need. It'd be pointless. The village head gave me permission to build this house. Your eldest cousin's dating the village head's daughter, so the village head and I are about to be family."

I was shaking all over with anger. If he weren't my own uncle, I'd have started cursing him out already.

I took out my phone, and Leslie immediately roared.

"What, you want to call the police? Even if the police come, it won't do you any good! This is a family matter, and the police can't touch it!"

Looking at Leslie's fleshy, thuggish face, I suddenly went calm.

He wasn't afraid of anyone, so I'd just find someone he was afraid of.

"Uncle Leslie, you're reading too much into it. I only wanted to reply to a work message."

"A little thing like this in our family, why would I call the police?"

Once Leslie saw I'd opened my texts, he gave a snort.

"Smart of you to know your place."

I opened Basil's chat: Uncle Basil, I've decided to transfer the use rights of the homestead plot to you. You'd better get back here as soon as you can, or Uncle Leslie's going to take over all of my land.

Basil replied instantly: I'm already on my way back.

Marlene leaned in. "That three hundred thousand dollars in dowry for our sonhave you got it together yet?"

"Rosalie won't give it up!"

Marlene shrieked, "How can you be so useless? Without money, how is our son supposed to get himself a wife!"

She suddenly rushed at me and snatched my bag.

"What are you doing!"

Marlene tore through the bag like a madwoman. "We'll just call this money a loan from you. Once your Uncle Leslie and I have money, we'll pay you back for sure!"

"You can stop digging. The card with my savings is in the cityI didn't bring it with me at all."

She dumped everything I had onto the ground. Sure enough, there was no bank card.

"Fine, Rosalie, so you're guarding yourself against us."

Blake stood there with his hands on his hips. "I'll just go back to the city with her and get it. If she doesn't dare hand the money over, I'll beat her to death!"

"That won't do, son. There are too many police in the city. What if this little brat calls the police? Without the village head to protect you, what would you do then?"

Blake was beside himself. "Then what do you want me to do? Suzy already said she won't marry me without three hundred thousand dollars in dowry!"

Marlene's crafty eyes rolled. "I've got it!"

"That Douglas Gray at the edge of the village is forty-five and still hasn't gotten himself a wife, and his family's got money. Why not marry Rosalie off to him? We'll ask for three hundred thousand dollars in dowryjust enough to get my son a wife!"

When I heard that, I was so furious I could have died.

"Mrs. Whitney, you don't get to decide my marriage. You want to trade me for a dowry? Not a chance!"

Marlene stared at me like a wolf. "Son, go shut the door."

Blake hurried over and shut the door.

I tensed up instantly.

"What's this supposed to mean? Are you trying to lock me up illegally?"

"Don't make it sound so ugly. We're family. Marriage is a big dealit's a matter of the parents' word and the matchmaker's arrangement. Your father passed early, and your mother doesn't look after you, so it falls to your uncle and me to worry about your marriage."

"Marrying you off to Douglas Gray is for your own good. The Gray family is rich. Go to them and you'll live in comfort. You won't even have to work anymoreyou can lie around at home all day if you want."

"Once your marriage is settled, your father will thank us from up in heaven."

I glanced at the phone Marlene had thrown on the ground, calculating how to grab it fast and call the police.

Marlene saw right through me and kicked my phone far out of reach.

"Son, watch your cousin. I'm calling Douglas over. Rosalie's grown prettier over the years we haven't seen herDouglas is sure to take a liking to her."

"You got it!"

Blake planted his hands on his hips and stood in front of me.

He was over six feet tall and weighed well over two hundred pounds, like a wall.

"Behave yourself, or don't blame me for getting rough."

"I will never agree to marry Douglas Gray!"

"That's not up to you!"

I tried to run out, but Blake grabbed me in his arms and flung me back.

"Don't throw dignity in your face and refuse itdon't make me slap you!"

Leslie held Blake back. "Don't hit her yet. If you rough her up and Douglas doesn't like the look of her when he gets here, then what?"

"Dad, I've got a way. She won't behave unless I knock her around!"

I snatched up the chair beside me. "You touch me and see what happens!"

"You little brat, you're just asking to be dealt with!"

Blake rolled up his sleeves and charged at me, so I raised the chair and swung it right at him.

But he caught the chair and wrenched it out of my hands with ease.

He tossed the chair aside and grabbed a fistful of my hair.

He clamped down on my chin so hard I felt like he was going to crush the bone.

"When Douglas gets here, you'd better put on a good showyou hear me!"

Just then, Marlene came in with Douglas.

"Come on in, Douglas, this is Rosalie."

"Oh, son, stop scuffling with your cousinhurry up and let her meet Douglas."

Only then did Blake let go of me. He seized me by the collar and shoved me forward.

Douglas's eyes lit up the moment he saw me, his grin nearly splitting his face.

"Mrs. Whitney, this niece of yours is a real beauty! How old is she this year? I like her!"

"She just turned twenty-five, and she's a college student too. Marry her and you've gotten yourself a real bargain!"

"Three hundred thousand at the very least. My niece is a maiden. Without that number, you're not taking her anywhere!"

Douglas gritted his teeth. "Three hundred thousand it is!"

"Don't even dream about it. There's no way I'll marry you!"

Douglas curled his lip. "Mrs. Whitney, you never said your girl wasn't willing."

"Marriage is a big matter decided by the parents. Her father passed early and her mother doesn't look after herher uncle and I are her second set of parents! Her marriage is ours to decide. You just hand over the money!"

"But what if she calls the police? I don't want to end up in a lawsuit."

"If you keep her locked down, where's she going to call the police from? Besides, the village head is my in-law. Even if she does call the police, you think they'd doubt a whole bunch of respectable folks like us and take her word instead?"

Leslie let out a sneer. "Douglas, no wonder you've made it to your age without ever landing a wifeyou're way too much of a coward. I'll tell you this: if you can't marry my niece, then you can look forward to being a bachelor for the rest of your life."

Douglas steeled himself. "Fine, I'll marry her!"

Marlene held out her hand, and Douglas pulled out an old bankbook and placed it in her palm.

Then he came at me, rubbing his hands together. "Come home with big brother, little sister."

"Don't come near meget lost!"

I struggled with everything I had, but Douglas lunged and grabbed me, puckering his foul lips to kiss me.

I fought him off desperately, gagging at the stench coming off him.

Right then, the house suddenly gave a violent lurch, and with a booming crash the windows shattered.

Marlene screamed, "Oh God, it's an earthquake!"

Then came another huge boom and another violent shudder.

Everyone in the house was scared stiff. Douglas forgot all about me and scrambled outside.

I seized the chance to break free and ran out after them.

Once we were all outside, we realized there was no earthquake at all. The huge noise and shaking just now were someone taking a hydraulic breaker to Leslie's house.

Leslie was so furious his nose nearly twisted off his face. "Who the hell is trying to tear down my house?!"

"I am."