After days of crying and intense anger, Caia called David in LA and tearfully tried to explain to him that the woman with whom he had made love only several nights before, was not her.

At first, he was confused, and incredulous. But when she qualified the bizarre claim with the fact that this was with her identical twin sister--one with a cold heart and diabolical mind—he was even more confounded, and predictably standoffish with her.

For how was it possible, he asked, that her own flesh and blood could do such a shocking thing with a totally strange man whom her sister was dating? It was the most normal of questions, Caia assured him—but she felt obligated to further explain the fact that her sister Mireille was apparently not a normal person. At this, the young physician, well-versed in mental aberrations and family dynamics, rightfully diagnosed that the relationship between her and her sibling must have harbored intense jealousy since childhood, and it had festered into something now pathological.

He also painfully told her that for this to happen, she and her sister both had to have engaged in perverse thinking and actions for many years of arrested development. Nothing healthy could ever emerge from it, he further warned, and said he really did not want to get involved further with her or her sister in the future.

This devastating outcome was exactly what Mireille had predicted and planned for, Caia was now certain. For it was all craftily orchestrated, not for the sexual pleasure she may have gotten out of it, but to totally destroy anything Caia had patiently and innocently built between herself and the handsome doctor.

Caia tearfully agreed with David's astute psychological assessment but was most devastated by what he said about totally curbing any further interaction with her in the future. Naturally, she was crestfallen and thrust into a deep depression over the outcome. For those early stages of what seemed to be heading toward a good and healthy relationship with a successful and honorable man, had been Caia's most cherished achievement. Where that relationship might have gone, as it had become more valuable to her than all the wealth she had inherited from her reclusive uncle, she would now never know. It also had eclipsed even her 'would-be friends' who, except for a precious few, only seemed interested in her company for the exciting venues she kept and the material things she was already tiring to show to the world.

Following several days of total isolation on her estate, where her obsessive thoughts only focused on how she could get even with Mireille's destructive and humiliating actions, Caia finally came up with an elaborate plan. It was as evil as Mireille's attack and well-crafted for the purpose of serious revenge. It carried with it the satisfaction of both a fitting punishment for Mireille, as well as a great and exuberant victory for Caia's suffering ego. But for this vision of retribution to work, she would have to return to the world of 'wannabe' actors she had met while dating her previous love—the TV / Netflix director who turned out to be married.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," said the handsome young man sitting strategically in the light at the edge of Caia's pristine swimming pool. Steve Creston had purposely chosen the seating position and angle of the sun on his face. It was to maximize his suntan, he told her. For he had an audition that next evening for a part in a new vampire series to begin filming in a month's time in Studio City, LA.

"Well, I've heard you're one of the best new talents in the business," she told him, trying to win his participation in her plan. "And you've done some modelling, too, I've seen on your LinkedIn page."

"Yeah. I guess that's what helped with acting jobs," the young thespian said. "I'm the guy you see in that ad for Budweiser, near the Santa Monica pier these days . . . the guy holding the babe in the red bikini? We did another take with the waves breaking over us . . . while kissing in the surf . . . but they didn't use that one. They stuck to dry land." He laughed confidently.

"Yeah? Well it's a cute ad," Caia said. "So who's the girl?"

"God . . . I don't even know. She told me they actually found her the day before. At a pizza place in the mall with her friends."

"Seriously?" Caia tried to sound interested and impressed.

"Yeah. The contracted model for the shoot got sick, I guess. And so they got this . . . just-out-of-high-school babe to step in. I think it was her great boobs and face that got her the part. She's definitely a fox. Got a real future in modeling if she wants it."

"So tell me about your acting Steve. You came highly recommended to me."

"Well OK. I was in a few small rolls this year . . . let's see . . . a surfer dude that gets killed in a big wave contest up at Mavrick's . . . Yeah, then a druggie in this new series who saves a chick from committing suicide . . . A gay guy who is murdered by an older boyfriend . . . and . . . oh yeah. I was practically a principle character in this dumb movie about LA gangsters. They try to set up shop in Montreal. Really a stupid script, though. The whole thing was canned by investors. It never was finished. "

"That's too bad."

"Yeah well. And I've been in a couple of heavy love scenes recently . . . as the guy the lead girl cheats with. But there's not much talking in a role like that. Just the physical stuff on demand." He smiled.

Caia smiled too, for the first time in what seemed like months.

"Alright, Steve. Well, look. I'm not going to audition you exactly for that role right now."

The young man smiled with a twinge of embarrassment.

"But I am counting on you being pretty good at seducing someone, alright?"

"Really? "

"It's my twin sister, OK?"

"Wow. Well . . . hey, whatever. If it pays."

"It will pay. And I'll pay you good if it goes well. And then you're going to . . . just drop out of it suddenly, as part of the deal."

"OK . . . but it sound's  . . . kinda cruel."

"Cruel is what my sister and I are into, Steve . . . It's complicated. I just want you to make her want you as a lover and then she'll take the big fall when you leave her."

"Wow. It's really kind of kinky . . . but I guess I could see that as just another acting job. Depending on how much it pays."

Believe me, it will be worth it to you. For your time and talent, Steve."

"Alright then."

"But I want this to happen over not much time. Like maybe . . . just a couple of weeks. A month at the most. Got it?"

"Alright. Yeah, pretty sweet."

"So how much do they pay you for an acting job? Like the one you're trying to get now?"

"You mean like . . . a minimum day's wages? OK, well the actors' guild in LA says we're supposed to get two-fifty . . . for like eight hours of set time. I'm getting more than that these days. It depends. That includes wardrobe and make up. Now overtime pay is like . . ."

"Never mind overtime. I'm going to pay you five hundred a day, Steve. Morning into the evenings . . . whatever it takes for you to get my sister to love you. To get crazy about you, alright?"

"If you're serious . . . I'll give it my best."

"Yes. Perfectly serious. And I want your best work, Steve. You'll have to be sly. And charming, convincing . . . Definitely sexy. All just to pull Mireille into a full-blown affair with you, OK?"

"You say she's your twin, right?"

"That's right. Identical."

"Well, if she looks that much like you . . . it should be some pretty enjoyable work."

The young actor smiled at her flirtatiously. Caia did not respond to the compliment. She was too focused on the diabolical plan of revenge for her sister.

"So I want her to be totally into you, Steve . . . in less than a month! Think you can do that?"

"Well . . . you women are pretty unpredictable. But for five hundred a day? Possibly a whole month? Sure! I think I can have your sis eating out of my hand for that kind of money."

Caia suddenly smiled. The feeling of impending victory for her was good.

"So . . . are you really that wealthy, Caia?" The actor for the first time looked skeptical.

"Do you think this Montecito estate your sitting on belongs to anyone else?"

"OK then. But listen . . . when do you want me to start this gig? See . . . if I get this vampire thing, we'll have to put your sister's project on ice . . . just until I'm into a shooting schedule. This series I'm going for could be the part for me as an actor. You gotta understand that."

"I do, Steve. We can work around that possibility. Maybe even use it to our advantage. So look. You'll call me by tomorrow or the next day, alright? When you hear the results of your audition?"

"Will do."

"If things don't work out with that . . . you're on this job for me immediately, OK?"

"Right. Don't get me wrong. I'm totally into this as an acting challenge. The money and situation sound pretty hot. Crazy . . . but hot. I'll be sure to let you know, Caia. I'm definitely your man for this, OK?"

"Great, Steve."

As he got up from sitting by the pool, he turned to her putting on his sunglasses.

"But just so I know the rules here . . . We're talking . . . full-on sex with her at some point is OK with you . . . right?"

"Of course. Just play it slow and gradual. Anticipation is what we girls crave . . . I think you know that by now, lover boy. I just want her to want you . . . like hell. And be devastated when you leave her. That's all that matters, OK? "

"If that's your goal in this . . .I can handle that."

Caia smiled and nodded at Steve in satisfaction .

"You know, " he said. Preparing to leave. "I've already done this gig with a few girls already . . . I mean . . . not for money or anything. And not really intentional. But I can get babes to love me. That's for sure."

"Well if you're such a great actor, and such a great lover . . . I would expect you could, Steve. That's why I'm giving you this job."

"OK. So . . . just one last question, Caia. I mean . . . you have your reasons for all this, I'm sure. And that's fine. But . . . you say she's as attractive as you, right?"

"I'm not the judge of how attractive we both are. You men can be the judge of that.

"OK. So once I get her in love with me . . . I'm just thinking . . . what if I would happen to . . . you know . . ."

"Fall in love with her too? God . . . Impossible!"

"Why?"

"Because. She's just like me, Steve . . . Totally screwed up. Totally cruel and dangerous to any man. It would be the worst mistake of your life! Trust me. Neither of us are worth it. Don't even go there . . . you got that?"

"OK. Yeah. I get that."

"Call me about the audition, OK? Either way, Steve, I want you for this job. I'll be explaining how best to get in touch with Mireille when you call."

"Looking forward to it."

"I'm expecting an Academy Award performance from you, lover boy."

"Every actor's dream, Caia."

* * *