Sorry to break it to you, but the name of the game is NTR - that means no happy or bittersweet endings.
I just hope Flora x Marissa is treated as a serious thing, and not a mere stepping stone to Justin.
Im gonna disagree with you. The type of NTR games you are speaking of are pure fetish fuel with no deeper layers and nothing more to say than "Hey jerk off to this." So it makes sense for them to have bleak, fetish fuel endings.
This is a story with NTR in it. However from everything I have seen so far and read from the dev diaries. It has a good deal more depth and substance to it than the usual NTR slop on this site. It's the reason I love it so much.
Now I have no doubt it will get dark. And the timeline of the game gives it plenty of room to dwell in that darkness, but also have the characters pull through, grow, and find happiness by the end.
We can have months where Marrisa fully throws herself into being Justin's woman and exploring what her sexuality means to her. Months where Gemma loses herself in the escapism of being her landlords fucktoy, and not having to think about all ways she feels shes failed, and all the reasons she hates herself. Months where Jeremey is depressed and angry. Filled with jealousy and hate for those he loved that he feels betrayed him, unfairly using that redhead from work as a stress release without the consideration he should be showing a new lover.
I get the sense from the games themes, and from the dev blogs. That the author of this story has either gone to therapy or is involved in the field. And as the other commentator said it comes back to the name of the game. Dissonance.
Now I am just an ignorant layman so take what I say with what ever worth you feel it holds. But Dissonance in a person is the conflict between ones internal ideals and morals, and how they act. It's something that until adressed will create conflict and suffering in one's self, and people can use defense mechanism to escape this suffering.
For Gemma she feels shes a failure. So many paths she could have walked. So many things she could have been. She seeks to escape these feelings rather than confront and work through them. Her escapism of choice right now is isolation and screen time. But it will probably become all of that plus sex later in the story.
Aris defense mechanism is excuses and justifications. She knows shes being a shitty partner and a shitty person, but shes built the consequences of her actions into such monsters in her mind that she cant confront them or be honest with those she loves. So shes built a wall of justifications and seeks to prove that those around her are just as bad as her.
We have yet to see how Marrisa and Jeremy act when their internal ideals come into conflict with the way they behave. But if I had to make a fan guess for both of them I would guess anger would be involved. Marrisa has already shown what a temper she has when stressed. WIth Jeremy, as much as I know the confines of the genre may constrain his actions a bit. I truly feel like hes not just the players bland self insert. But a character with his own personality, flaws and story to tell.
I think hes going to go through his own story arc that doesnt just involve him being a powerless watcher. Well those he loves are far away and all he can do is give advice. He does have one creep near at hand that he can take active action against. He's shown that hes really good at his job, very charming, and very good at politicking. Even though he doesnt want to admit it. It would be intresting if in the midst of all the drama that hes dealing with from the home front. All the rage, jealousy, deppresion and grief. if the creep at work acts out. Maybe targeting the red head, and in turn Jeremy vents his fury and ruins the man's career. Maybe even drives him out of the field completely. He could be surprised about how much he likes exercising power over others, even as he hates himself for liking it. He could start up a relationship with the red head, be a bit of a tyrant with her. Be so angry with everything thats happening at home that he let's it out on her and doesnt treat her as she deserves. Hell he could even become another guy sharing photos of his conquests on that forum.
Sorry, I didnt mean for this to go on for so long. I always have more to say than I think I do when start writing. And I dont blame you for just skimming through or not reading this. But let me just lastly add that when confronted with this dissonance you have two options. One you can either keep running from it, keep making excuses, and keep suffering. Or you can find the strength to confront it and grow as a person. Finding a synthesis that allows them to move forward and be happy. And I truly believe that no matter how fucked up the middle parts of this story gets, that we are headed in the direction of these characters confronting their dissonance head on and overcoming it, and in the end emerging as better people.
