Chapter 3 I stared straight at the camera , no trace of surrender in my eyes . Mud dripped down my body . Mixed with blood , it pooled at my feet in a small puddle of dark brown water . The dark web chat went silent for a few seconds . [ That look is vicious ! She really doesn't care if she dies ! ] [ Zander screwed up , didn't he ? She's not begging at all - she's making threats ! ] [ Who said she was crying ? This girl's ready to throw down ! ] The laughter in the helicopter cut off abruptly . Zander's knuckles turned white around the radio , and he barked into the speaker . " Lyra , don't push your luck ! Beg me now while you still can . Keep being stubborn and whatever shows up next won't be so reasonable ! " I found him laughable . If I didn't have wilderness survival skills , I'd already be a corpse at the bottom of this swamp . " Zander Caldwell , you never wanted to be reasonable . You wanted me dead . " Clover suddenly piped up . " Oh my ! Lyra has no shame ! " That's when everyone noticed - I was completely naked now . Only the mud covering me kept me somewhat decent . Zander's face flushed red . " Lyra , Kiara told me you were promiscuous by nature . I didn't believe her , but you- " " In front of all these people , are you trying to humiliate me ? " He didn't care about my dignity , spitting out word after word . " You've been looking for your next mark , haven't you ? " " What , did those leeches turn you on ? How disgusting . " Rage flooded my brain . I shouted at the camera . " Zander Caldwell , how have I wronged you in all these years ? " " Without me , you never could've started your company . Everyone has the right to judge me - but you ? Do you ? " Five years . Even if he didn't know I'd been quietly helping him all this time . Even an animal would've learned loyalty by now . Zander's face twisted on screen , then he sneered coldly . 14:02 His Mistress's ' Billionaire p . Chapter 3 Help me ? What have you ever given me besides that pathetic winery ? " Clover added fuel to the fire . " Zander , Lyra might be under too much stress . She's starting to talk nonsense . " The people in the helicopter chimed in . This Lyra really is tough . " " We thought she was dying , but turns out she was faking . " Zander was fully enraged now . Looks like I need to teach her a real lesson so she knows who's really in charge ! " Jover's voice came through the speaker , tinged with mock horror and more excitement . Zander , isn't this going too far ? Lyra , after all ... " ander cut her off with a derisive laugh . When she sabotaged your files , when she watched your family go bankrupt with cold eyes , did she ever think it was too far ? " Do it ! " he helicopter's side door opened again . black - draped iron cage was pushed out . thovered less than thirty feet above me , then the bottom snapped open . lot one - several black shapes twisted and writhed , plummeting down , splashing into the swamp around me with a series of heavy unks , kicking up waves of murky water . he dark web chat exploded . Joly crap ! Are they serious ? ] Are those venomous snakes ? Zander's insane ! ] They're really going all out? She's dead meat now ! ] ook at her reaction ! ] lo one needed to point it out . My heart nearly stopped in that instant . he cold mud seemed to lose its chill , replaced by a bone deep , spine crawling terror . My disgust with filth was physiological , but my fear of snakes was primal - wired into my DNA . The snakes were clearly stunned from the fall , thrashing violently in the muddy water as they adjusted . One of them - jet black , with a triangular head - quickly raised itself up , its cold eyes locking onto me , the only heat source , the only iving thing in the swamp . 14.02 Chapter 3 A venomous snake ! Zander really wanted me dead ! Survival instinct overrode everything . I threw myself backward , trying to cover my body with mud to reduce my exposed silhouette . The movement was too abrupt . Mud surged up to my chin , the foul - smelling muck nearly flooding my nose . Zander's cold laugh echoed from above . " Ha . Scared now ? Where's your germaphobia , Lyra ? How's a mud bath with snakes feel ? " The triangular head lifted slightly , tongue flicking as it swam toward me . Its scales glinted coldly in the dim light , enough to stop your heart . [ It's a krait ! Extremely venomous ! ] The dark web chat flooded with messages - some sending terrified emojis , others reveling in schadenfreude . Zander's voice carried a hint of tension . " Lyra , that snake can kill you . Beg me now , and I'll have the pilot go down and chase it away . " " Wait any longer , and you'll lose your chance . " The krait came closer and closer . I could see the icy gleam in its eyes . I slowly held my breath , body frozen in place , ignoring the leeches sucking at my calves , my gaze locked on the snake . It stopped about three feet in front of me , head swaying slightly , as if judging whether I was a threat . Zander's voice crackled through the speaker , hysterical with madness . " Lyra ! Beg me ! Beg and I'll keep those things away from you ! " His voice startled the snake . It Junged straight at me . And I had nowhere to go - my entire lower body was trapped in the mud . Just as despair swallowed me , gunshots rang out , followed by a familiar voice . " She doesn't need to beg anyone ! "