Gleb's new life

By the time Gleb learned the full truth about Valeriy, his sentence was already nearing its end

Before this, Gleb had promised Giers that he wouldn’t abandon him after being released. He had vowed to send packages, help, and protect him. But now, Gleb didn’t know what to do. Chernov was devastated, realizing that he had been used. He felt ashamed of his own foolishness and naivety, blaming himself for not seeing Giers for who he really was. He felt like an absolute idiot.

Gleb had put himself at risk when helping Valeriy. Such a friendship didn’t align with the rules of the prison hierarchy; he was jeopardizing not only his reputation but also that of his father and family. And he had been willing to sacrifice it all for this guy.

Giers, on the other hand, had no qualms about accepting other people’s sacrifices for his benefit. He understood and embraced it. Gleb’s selflessness fit perfectly into Valeriy’s plans and didn’t bother him in the slightest.

Realizing all this, piece by piece, was incredibly painful for Chernov.

He made a promise to himself to cut all ties with the criminal world and prison life. He understood that there were no “worthy” people in prison; everyone behind bars fully deserved what had happened to them. They were vile individuals, and they were exactly where they belonged.

At that point, Giers’s and Chernov’s paths diverged.

Valeriy stayed in prison, facing survival and a return to the harsh world from which Gleb had briefly rescued him for a year. Once again, he had no protection and was vulnerable to being used by anyone.

Gleb, upon leaving prison, severed ties with his father’s criminal dealings, cut off all contact with his family, and decided to start his life from scratch.

He enrolled in evening school, overloaded himself with work and studies, and began piecing together the life of a normal, law-abiding citizen.

After his release from the colony, Gleb underwent a visible transformation. From an obvious ex-convict, he turned into a respectable-looking young man. He grew out his hair, his speech became less aggressive, and his style shifted from that of a rough, athletic thug to a cozy, casual student.

Instead of collecting “common funds” and hanging out with his father’s gang, Gleb started spending time at cafés, reading books.

He didn’t become the person he had dreamed of being—he still didn’t look like someone from high society—but he no longer resembled a convict. And to him, that was far more important.

At school, Gleb began to draw the attention of girls more and more often. Many found him sweet and approachable.

Gleb tried to choose his words carefully and hide his prison habits and past, which made him seem shy and awkward to many. But instead of putting people off, it only endeared him to those around him.