At the center of events is Lev Garin: a charismatic and attractive corrupt customs officer. "Bad" according to generally accepted concepts, but "good" within the framework of a specific intrigue. The story begins with a high-profile crime: a major businessman Plato and his wife Ariadne, who was also Leo's lover, disappeared without a trace. The protagonist is faced with a choice: to give in to the blackmailers and endanger his career, or not to give in and endanger Ariadne's life. As events unfold, the love affair between Ariadne and Leo turns out to be not just a trap, but an abyss into which the whole life of the hero falls. No longer counting on saving himself, but desperately trying to find a way to save his family, Leo seeks to understand who and for what is taking revenge on him so consistently and subtly.