“I know I’m illiterate, but no one deserves this,” I sobbed. “Our property no longer belongs to us, Brother. The landlord I trusted has betrayed me.”

“How could you let this happen? I told you not to trust him!” my brother exclaimed, glaring at Shethji, who sat trimming his nails as we begged at his door. Shethji was the village head and our accountant. He locked away the property papers in his massive locker. I caught a glimpse—piles of cash, watches, and papers. Despite his wealth, he wanted more. I couldn’t afford a lawyer, and his concern was where to store his money. His servants pushed us out, leaving us pleading for our inheritance.

How will I tell my daughter? How will I marry her off? My brother has a family—what will become of us? Shethji used to be kind, meeting us in his jeep with his flashy gold watch, a luxury we poor farmers could only dream of.

“Baba, your roti is ready!” called my daughter, Saki, from the kitchen. I couldn’t face her. She only eats one roti per meal, not by choice, but because that’s all I can afford. I’m starving her, and now I’ve lost our home.

I rushed outside, struggling to breathe, but my brother’s touch stopped me. His eyes reminded me of Shethji’s gold watch. I couldn’t just sit back and watch us be evicted. “Brother, pack our bags. Take Saki, Bhabhi, and your wife to the bus stand. Wait for us there. I won’t let our families suffer for my mistake.”

“But what’s the point? He’ll never listen, and we don’t have the money to start over,” my brother said, tears filling his eyes. I’d only seen him cry once before—when our mother died.

“No, we leave tonight,” I said, gathering cloth bags. I covered my face with a mask. Though my brother hesitated, he nodded. After dropping our family at the bus stand, he returned. The servants were gone, and the house was silent.

“Are you sure, Bhai?” my brother whispered.

“I’m sure.” I crept towards the house, entering through the back while my brother waited by the window. I wasn’t a thief, but today I became one. I searched for the locker key but ran out of time and smashed the lock. I filled a bag and tossed it to my brother. The noise must have woken someone, but I kept going, grabbing cash and watches.

“Brother, hurry! The lights are on—they’re coming! Run!” I shouted as I threw another bag. But I still searched for his gold watch. Heavy footsteps approached, and just as I found the watch, the door crashed open. I tossed it to my brother and yelled, “RUN! Don’t look back! Take care of the family!”

Shethji stood before me, gun in hand. “Where’s my money?” he snarled.

I laughed. “The money you stole from us? It’s gone.”

A gunshot echoed through the village. My brother would’ve heard it, already on his way to the bus station. I would’ve escaped too if it weren’t for that cursed watch. I wanted to hold it once before I died.

Blood pooled beneath me as I collapsed. Shethji yelled, but I only laughed. My last words were, “My daughter will have two rotis tomorrow.”