Right now, both Gillian and Mike's GF are a mystery. We don't know too much about them and because of that we try to form some connections based on what we know.
Gillian:
- not as tall as Allison
- cheated on Ian, but it looks like only Ian knows what really happened
- it's been a year since Ian last saw her
- dream - we don't know if anything is real, but it's probably based on a real discussion
- moved outside of town
- wants to pursue a job abroad, she might move back in town if she finds something good
Mike's GF:
- small breast
- she's into anal sex
- one year old relationship, but they live in the same place for about a 3 months - the place is situated outside town
- busy with a new job
Some details match - the one year gap and the fact that they don't live inside the city. It is also possible that Gillian cheated with someone else and that is why Ian has no knowledge about Mike. But I think there is also another possibility. Why not subvert expectations and find out that Nat is Mike's GF. We already know from GGGB that she likes anal and we just find out that she is coordinating a department inside Hierofant. An entire department is not an easy task, hence she's busy.
Anyway, based on the chapter 11 title, I assume that we'll find out what happened. Wounds - could cover a lot of things
- the wounds of the heart
- what caused them: the entire chapter could be a flash back.
- what will heal them: Ian discussing with Gillian, Lena having a cup of coffee with Axel
- how to move on: Ian discussing with Lena
- physical wounds
- Lena's parents, if we get to see them
- Ian and Jeremy during the boxing tournament
- Ian after Wade kicks his ass for sleeping with Cindy
- Ian after Perry kicks his ass for sleeping with Emma
- Axel after Ivy kicks his ass for choosing Cindy or Lena over her ... maybe I went too far
First, thanks for making a list of all information. Second, some corrections
A year ago Gillian left for her hometown planning to finding a job here (in Baluart) and then return. She cheated on Ian after leaving, or at least he only found out then. He and Alison talk about it in chapter 5:
a "She went back to her hometown after finishing her master's degree, right?"
i "Yeah... She was supposed to find a job here and come back, but then, that happened..."
Mike and his girlfriend live here, they moved to Baluart 3 months ago as Mike told Lena in chapter 9:
l "How long have you been with her?"
mk "About a year... And we moved here like three months ago or so."
About the theory that Gillian is Mike’s girlfriend: Isn’t it too unlikely that neither Ian nor Mike have any idea who the other one is?
The timeline in itself fits decently. I vaguely remember Ian mentioning early in the game that it’s almost a year since he and Gillian split up, and also Mike mentions that he’s been together with his girlfriend for about a year. Apart from that we also know that Gillian's breast size fits with how Mike describes his girlfriend.
But if your girlfriend doesn’t just cheat on you as a one night stand, but actually meets someone else who they end up dumping you for; wouldn't you at the very least have checked their social media to see who the person is? And if you're the other guy, wouldn't you do the same to see who the person whose girlfriend you stole is? After Ivy's birthday party it seems clear that they haven't seen each other before.
If it still turns out to be true, I agree that it’s a bit lazy. Some of the earlier coincidences worked really well: Like Jeremy turning out to be both Ian's friend and Louise's "boyfriend" (it's introduced early in the story when all the connections are being established), and Cindy's photographer who's also Lena's ex (we're aware of it from the beginning even if the characters aren't, and as a hotshot photographer it makes sense that Axel has a lot of connections). The revelation about Cherry and Axel felt a bit more far-fetched—like something that's forced into the story to make things add up. Gillian being Mike's girlfriend would be in the same category for me. That's both because of the total amount of coincidences and the fact that those coincidences are more eye-catching later on in the story when the universe is established and we assume we know all the connections between the characters.
Still I wouldn't consider it a big issue if we're being pragmatic. From a narrative point of view there's a lot you can do with that connection, and with how Lena's cheating with Mike mirrors Gillian's cheating and Axel's cheating. And for the moral dilemma of Lena's affair with Mike to be as effectful as possible, I think his girlfriend should be introduced at some point—if it actually turns out to be Gillian, Eva won't have to introduce yet another character for it to happen.
Either way the prologue confirms that Eva has changed her mind from her earlier comments about Gillian's role in the game. I assume that means she has some clear plans for what she wants to add to the story. Regardless of whether Gillian is Mike's girlfriend or not, I think this is a good moment to do that: A surprisingly big part of chapter 10 dealt with Ian's and Lena's feelings about Lena's possible sexual involvement with other guys. Gillian's return is a very natural ingredient in that mix.
I don't have the exact quote but I remember vaguely that Ian doesn't know with whom Gillian cheated. Also it is not clear how he found out. That makes sense if Gillian was back at her hometown and just confessed to Ian.
What other earlier comments of EvaKiss about Gillian are you referring? In the 3 Q&As all she wrote was that 'Gilllian has a role to play'.
I don't see it being narratively interesting. Yes, Lena getting Mike to cheat as she has been cheated on is interesting but for that it doesn't matter that his girlfriend is Ian's ex. Why would she care about that? Ian would be cuckolded twice by Mike, but he doesn't know Mike at all so why would he care
who his girlfriends cheat with? There are no emotions connected to it, it makes no difference to Lena or Ian if Mike's girlfriend is Gillian or not. It would just be a weird coincidence.
Also, sorry about going on about this, but in the last Q&A EvaKiss wrote about Mike's girlfriend:
I'd like to develop that side of Mike's story more, but right now the focus is elsewhere.
But she wrote about Gillian:
Gillian still has a role to play in all of this
That doesn't sound like she is talking about the same girl. Ten days later she announced the prologue with the writing 75% done. I doubt she decided that Gillian should appear now in this 10 days, after all having a cliffhanger was the whole idea.
The timing of Gillian's appearance makes sense. Chapter 10 spend a lot of time developing Lena and Ian's relationship (there are a whooping 5 sex scenes beween them!) but Lena isn't yet such a big part of Ian as Gillian was.
Indeed, what is supposed to happen? Bitchfight? (You can always dream
) Is she going to become one of Ian's love interests? (He is already lagging behind Lena, after all) Or will it be like the cliffhanger of chapter 7, a whole bunch of nothing?
