The Husband who was Insulted Turned out to be a Gangster.

Chapter 1 – The Useless Son-in-Law The atmosphere in the Hardiman family's dining room that night was opulent. A long table draped in a pristine white tablecloth was set with porcelain plates from Italy, gleaming crystal glasses, and expensive dishes covering the surface. A crystal chandelier cast a warm glow, yet none of that warmth was felt by the young man sitting at the end of the table. Arka. The man kept his head down, staring at his still half-empty plate. The shabby suit he wore stood in stark contrast to the expensive, classy attire of the other guests. He sat rigidly, almost silent, as if his presence was nothing more than an unwanted shadow at this lavish party. Suddenly— CRASH! A glass slipped from his hand and shattered into pieces on the marble floor. The sharp sound instantly silenced the entire room. All eyes turned to Arka, who stood up in a panic, trying to pick up the shards with his bare hands. "Arka!" The booming voice of Hardiman, his father-in-law, echoed through the room. His face was flushed red, his tone full of rage. "You can't even pour wine for our guest of honor properly! You useless son-in-law!" Soft snickers immediately erupted from some relatives seated on the other side of the table. Alana's cousins covered their mouths with napkins as if to be polite, but their gazes were full of mockery. "Absolutely shameful," whispered one of his sisters-in-law, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "You see? He can't even manage to be a waiter. How can Sister Alana possibly stay with a man like that?" Arka bowed his head, his hands bleeding as he gathered the glass shards. Dots of red stained the polished marble floor. Yet he didn't complain at all, nor did he defend himself. He just remained silent, as usual. Beside him, Alana sat with a tense face. The woman's fingers gripped her spoon so tightly her knuckles turned white. She looked down, not daring to meet her husband's eyes. Ashamed. That's what she felt. Ashamed to be the wife of a man everyone considered trash. An important guest, a portly man in a sleek black suit, chuckled softly and cleared his throat. "Mr. Hardiman, to be honest... a son-in-law like this is truly an embarrassment. How could a prestigious family like yours have such a lowly son-in-law? Even my chauffeur is more respectable than him." Laughter broke out in the room once again. Hardiman slammed the table with his palm, making the glasses tremble. "Arka! Starting tomorrow, you are not to be involved in any family matters. You'll only be a laughingstock. If it weren't for the marriage agreement, I would have thrown you out of my house long ago!" Arka looked up, met his father-in-law's gaze for a moment, then bowed his head again. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. He was used to this kind of humiliation. But this time, Alana's words cut deeper than all the insults. "Father is right," his wife's voice was soft, almost trembling. "Arka... perhaps you should think about a divorce. I can't keep living with this shame. Every time I walk with you, everyone looks down on us. I... I'm tired." Arka fell silent. His heart shuddered, as if a dagger had been plunged deep inside. The woman he had protected in silence, the woman for whom he had willingly hidden his true self... now openly wanted to let him go. The family seated around the table cheered happily upon hearing this. "Good, Alana!" shouted one of the aunts. "You've finally come to your senses. Divorce is the best solution. A man like him will only drag you down." "Divorce?" asked one of Alana's cousins in a mocking tone. "Hahaha! I thought he wouldn't dare. How could he? What useless man would possibly have the courage to divorce a daughter of the Hardiman family?" Arka took a deep breath, looking at his wife with gentle eyes. He wasn't angry, nor did he beg. There was only a cold calmness within him. "If that's what you want..." he uttered softly, almost a whisper. Instantly, the atmosphere fell silent. Everyone waited for his next words. Would Arka cry? Would he beg and plead? But before he could continue, his simple phone rang loudly in the quiet room. The ringtone sounded alien amidst the silence. Everyone glanced over with annoyed expressions. "Even his phone is a cheap one," muttered one of the cousins with a stifled laugh. Arka calmly answered the call. A deep, authoritative voice from the other end was audible, clear enough for several people at the table to hear. "Grand Master, everything is ready. When do we move?" The room, which had been filled with laughter moments before, suddenly fell deathly quiet. All eyes widened, staring at Arka in confusion. The voice was unmistakable—full of respect, full of authority, addressing him as 'Grand Master'. Arka slowly turned his head, scanning the faces of those who had just insulted him. His lips curved into a faint, cold smile, a smile they had never seen before. "Alright," Arka replied briefly, then hung up without offering any explanation. The silence was so thick it felt like the air in the room had frozen. And in that second, for the first time, the Hardiman family realized— The man they had scorned as trash all this time might not be an ordinary man after all. ---