Will we actually get any growth, moving forward, working on issues....or is the train wreck gonna keep barrelling along in a deleted scene from Speed? You know what we got. So I'ma ask the question again lol. More of the same...pointless shock drama for the sake of it, or is this story (our protags) actually going to start getting better?
I think so. Act 2 Lacey feels very different from Act 1 Lacey already. Lacey didn't really have any major setbacks in Act 2. Like, Act 1 was very much 2 steps forward, 2 steps back the entire Act. However, once therapy started, Lacey's continued to climb up that hill imo.
Pure speculation on my part, but I think we are done with the Lacey constantly making brain damage mistakes. I think future acts are going to focus on MC's mental health. Does he work to strengthen their relationship or does he cheat on Lacey? Does he work on building trust with Lacey or does he treat her as an object that's his? Does he move on from Lacey's past or does he hold it over her?
Speculation about Act 3
1.) Good guy points can be lost by cheating on Lacey in Vegas. (and I mean cheating on her, not being shared by her.) I think it's both hinted at and makes sense in the context of the story if MC hurts her like this during their anniversary, but it'd be player choice. Bonus points if it's Kelly by her finding some reason to make it to Vegas
1b.) If you don't cheat, then you obviously don't lose Good guy points, and you get a choice of a threesome or Making the anniversary all about you and Lacey as a couple
2.) The new deepfake is centered around Damian or Jared. Jared's would be either in the club bathroom or in the supply closet. This is the only way that the deepfake works because MC would have specific trauma tied to the two of them. Even knowing it's probably another deepfake, it'd make MC spiral. Jared might work better since MC has no way of knowing for sure if Lacey was totally honest about the clubs (plus plenty readers think Lacey did that anyways, so surely that thought is in MC's mind without the more omniscient POV we have)
This is probably what would lead to the choice to cheat if I had to guess
3.) The paths
Slut/Bimbofication - gets expanded in Vegas by having Lacey dance provocatively at a club or something like that. Plus, plenty of chances to get tattoos or whatever for bimbofication. You can lose good guy points if you make her get on the pole to dance for the crowd
Punishment - maybe MC makes her walk around with a collar/leash to show she belongs to him.
No Fun - Further explores the concept of manipulating Lacey to ensure she can never hurt him again. Maybe he makes her feel guilty for even having fun since she ruined their "real anniversary".
4.) The monster may take a backseat here due to the group being out of town besides giving an update that the NTR villains discovered that MC decided to move or something. However, with Anna and other girls left behind, maybe the Monster warns MC to check up on them for something to prevent XYZ from happening?
5.) NTR Villains Discover MC, Lacey, and Mia are out of town. Go after Anna or one of the other girls so that when everyone is back from Vegas, it'll be too late to stop the nefarious plan from happening
What do I think this plan could be? Anything to make MC react strongly wanting to protect one of the girls during his Anniversary. They simply want Lacey to feel like MC cares more about the other girls than he does about them
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I'd love to hear your all's thoughts on what Act 3 might bring!