VN Ren'Py Pale Carnations [Ch.4 Up.5] [Mutt & Jeff]

[Beduin123]

The pleasure of exhibitionism isn't physical (or, okay, not only physical), it's psychological. Some people just get off on being watched. As for the degrading, some people get off on that, too. Especially rich and powerful people. Felicia gets off on both.

Sure, a lot of rich people are into domination, but a lot of them are also into submission. As someone else said a bunch of pages ago, rich people spend their entire lives bossing others around and being obeyed in every little thing. It's a complete role reversal for them to be humiliated and dominated, and some of them find that extremely arousing.

Also, I think there are three big things you're discounting:
1. You're right, Felicia absolutely, 100%, is fucked in the head. There is not a single character in this story that isn't fucked up in one way or another (or several). EDIT: You know what, I think I have to add an asterisk to this one. Mina actually seems relatively normal and mostly sane. Sure, she's got that naughty checklist, but that's more about exploring her own sexuality than anything else, and nothing so far has been too far out there.

2. As you yourself have said a bunch of times, Felicia is gorgeous, smart, single-minded, manipulative, and incredibly motivated. Do you really think that goes away just because she lets men jizz all over her? Do you really think she isn't using this entire competition as more manipulation of the men around her? She herself says (I think, anyway) that she's absolutely willing to use her good looks and the expectations of everyone around her as weapons. Why do you think that isn't exactly what she's doing?

3. You've mentioned a few times the danger to her social standing if her peers among the rich and powerful should find out what she's doing, and you've also mentioned that she's debasing herself in front of some of the most powerful men in the city. Those things are both true, as far as they go. But there is no way the men who see these things are going to go telling everyone all about it. Not only because of the aspect everyone else has mentioned, that the super smug and self-satisfied Elias is getting gigacucked and has no idea about it. Consider: what are they gonna do, casually drop in conversation at the country club that they saw the craziest thing at their secret illegal brothel club last weekend? The members of the club have just as much to lose socially and reputationally as Felicia does. In fact, they're probably even more at risk if word gets out to the wrong people. And that doesn't even consider the potential for August sending an "associate" to do very bad things to them and/or their families if they open their mouths where they shouldn't.

Well, firstly you didn't get my main point about my initial perception of Felicia's character.

Secondly, as I said twice, according to the porn logic you are absolutely correct. But how many rich people you know personally who like to degrade themselves, who like to be submissive? How many rich people you know at all?

Thirdly, you are wrong in many details. For example, August threatening the families of the club members is ridiculous. Whom would he threaten, the city's police chief, the security corporation CEO or other millionaires? You probably watched too many gangster movies about all powerful mafia, but in reality the mafia exists as long as the state is weak or allows the mafia to exist for some reason. The State is the biggest mafia of all. And August isn't even a mafia boss but just a successful pimp.

But that's OK. I don't want to return to the lengthy discussions about details, they lead nowhere and anyway people always read the comments in the wrong way.

I get it from you and other members that Felicia is a sick, mentally unstable, unpredictable whore without self respect. That's OK, means she is not an LI but a side girl in my view. Still good to watch porn with her.

I think it sums it up.

 

[Ottoeight]

I do wonder why Edwin and Ian have the big talk about secrets right on the doorstep of Victoria's house. Like, guys, get in the fucking car, or something! Poor OpSec.

Victoria just went to bed. She's sleeping now.

You expect me to believe that Chuck would give two shits about Victoria some whore? Or that Chuck would do anything to hurt his beloved sister (who he himself brought up so she's basically his daughter)? I think you're greatly overestimating Edwin's value to Chuck. If not for Ian's brother-love for Edwin Chuck wouldn't even think about Edwin, he explicitly said that the only reason he offered this job to him is because Ian is his weakness, if not for him they would be practically strangers (as much as you are strangers with your teacher).

If anything I can see Ian doing something to hurt Grace (although nothing really nasty, Ian is too god for that hopefully and as far as we can tell Grace had never done anything to hurt Ian before because she loves him) and Chuck reprimanding Ian. I might be wrong but the way I see it for Chuck

Grace > Ian >> Edwin > shit >> Victoria.

And I think you're doing the same regarding how much Chuck is doting on Grace & willing to forgive her regardless even if she messes something up or even crosses the line.
Not to mention dismissing how much Edwin & Victoria matters to Ian.

Also, lol you are aware of "discipline", right?
Yes, Chuck raised Grace like a father as you said, but even parents discipline kids when they do something wrong/bad.
Just doting on the children gives them bad habits thinking they can get away with anything.
What makes you be so sure that Chuck won't discipline (reprimand or punish) Grace for what she did?

Grace basically;

1) Told Vicky that she was aware of her porn work past
2) Told Vicky that Chuck has taken MC under his wing like with Ian
3) Blackmailed Vicky into forcing Ian to do what her (Grace) and her husband wants.


To look through them one by one;

1) From how Grace & Vicky's convo went in their meet, it can be said without a doubt that Chuck told this secret long ago when they were young (i.e. when both MC & Ian were much younger I think).
Given Grace has kept the secret this long, it's more likely than not Chuck has told his sister to keep it quiet.
And Grace, out of her desperation to keep Ian in line with what she wants (i.e. send him to college), pulls out the "porn work secret" card thinking it will push Vicky to do what she wants.

And while nothing's been shown yet as to what were Chuck's instructions for his sister, do you really think he would not care whether this gets out?



2) Next, she literally blurts out Chuck has taken MC under his wing.
Now, while it doesn't specifically show that Chuck wanted to keep this a secret from Victoria (from my memories), Vicky finding out that her son is working under Chuck causes nothing but trouble for Chuck's end, given it's unlikely she will have a favorable view of her son working in such environment; especially given how Vicky herself is ashamed of that part of her past.


and.....

3) Blackmail
Grace could have done anything. Literally anything else to try and persuade her son to go to college.
But first she tried to manipulate MC into persuading Ian to go to college (which I obviously didn't do of course, Ian's way too much of a bro for my MC to betray his trust), and when that didn't work tried to manipulate Vicky to do it for her.
Despite Vicky's suggestions of "start things small and slowly move up to persuade" she basically ignored it and brought up the unplesant past and ending with blackmail to force Vicky's hand.



You said, "why would Chuck would give two shits about Victoria?"
lol let me flip that question for ya; "Why wouldn't he?"

I'll give you 3 reasons why he would give two shits;

1) IAN
2) IAN
3) IAN

You placed Grace > Ian, but I see that order is only relevant when only Grace is in the right and nothing detrimental happened to whatever Chuck himself has planned or values.
I can see that order be very much flipped to Ian > Grace if the actions Grace had taken doesn't benefit Chuck in any way or simply put, Grace is in the wrong - and she 100% is in this case.

To add further, no way will Chuck risk antagonizing his nephew that he loves.
That time Ian shuts his mother out (if player's MC told Ian about how his mother wanted to convince him to go to college), all Grace did was just try to manipulate MC. No antagonistic actions were taken, no permanent damage.
Hence, Chuck tried to calm his nephew down with that phone call with "Please talk to your mother for my sake" etc etc.

This situation with Victoria is completely different from that.
Besides, you really think someone like Chuck wouldn't be aware that Victoria was more of a mother figure to Ian, much much moreso than his own sister ever was?



Lastly, you said Chuck and MC are literally strangers.
In terms of biology lol, yes they are, and as you said Chuck only gave that job at the club due to Ian's insistence.
But you're dismissing how much closer MC and Chuck gets over the course of the game.

Sure, it started off as nepotism due to Ian, but the interactions the two of them have become more like a family.
Come to think of it, he even gives a stern warning to Mrs. Pulman saying "I now think of Edwin like a family, so you will NOT push him over to the edge with your antics" (or something very similar to those words) and Mrs. Pulman relents a bit saying "I understand."
Noone would say that about MC if he thought MC was just a stranger to him.


Hence taking everything I said till now into account, to your question yes Chuck would literally give two shits about Vicky.
He may have raised his sister like a daughter, but even taking that into account I'd say there are limits to what his sister should have been allowed to do.
And Grace crossed the line here.
Ignoring it without at least a repirmand or punishment, Chuck would literally be throwing the whole relationship he had been building with Ian & MC away.

I have a strong feeling he won't do that.
But who knows. Only TD1900 would know given he's the creator.

We're just throwing theories around here at this point.

My 2 cents?

Ian and Grace will have a conversation along the lines of the conversation they had after Edwin told Ian about Grace's request.

Chuck? IF Ian tells him, he will simply have a phone conversation with Grace where he calmly tells her to stop because there is no point.

But it is as you said: who knows?

That's what I also find unrealistic. I guess that's how porn logic works, but IRL it's hard to imagine highly intelligent and determined woman, who Felicia is, enjoying to be degraded to such low level. I mean there is no physical pleasure for a woman to be spunk on by a dozen of old dirty men or being degraded in other ways. So, either she is totally fucked up in the head, and I mean totally (you can call it a kink or whatever), or she does it for money (which is clearly not Felicia's case).

So, again I agree, by the pure porn logic it may be OK. But in this case Felicia loses a large part of her appeal to me as I don't enjoy smart and beautiful women being completely degraded to the dirt. It means they don't have self respect which means I, in turn, have no respect for them.

In the beginning of the game she appeared as a mysterious, smart, manipulative and extremely beautiful woman, but her present image is rather a mentally troubled, unstable and broken person. I think in its core it is this change of her character that I find hard to accommodate.

Oh man, Beduin123 vs The World once again.

The pleasure of exhibitionism isn't physical (or, okay, not only physical), it's psychological. Some people just get off on being watched. As for the degrading, some people get off on that, too. Especially rich and powerful people. Felicia gets off on both.

Sure, a lot of rich people are into domination, but a lot of them are also into submission. As someone else said a bunch of pages ago, rich people spend their entire lives bossing others around and being obeyed in every little thing. It's a complete role reversal for them to be humiliated and dominated, and some of them find that extremely arousing.

Also, I think there are three big things you're discounting:
1. You're right, Felicia absolutely, 100%, is fucked in the head. There is not a single character in this story that isn't fucked up in one way or another (or several). EDIT: You know what, I think I have to add an asterisk to this one. Mina actually seems relatively normal and mostly sane. Sure, she's got that naughty checklist, but that's more about exploring her own sexuality than anything else, and nothing so far has been too far out there.

2. As you yourself have said a bunch of times, Felicia is gorgeous, smart, single-minded, manipulative, and incredibly motivated. Do you really think that goes away just because she lets men jizz all over her? Do you really think she isn't using this entire competition as more manipulation of the men around her? She herself says (I think, anyway) that she's absolutely willing to use her good looks and the expectations of everyone around her as weapons. Why do you think that isn't exactly what she's doing?

3. You've mentioned a few times the danger to her social standing if her peers among the rich and powerful should find out what she's doing, and you've also mentioned that she's debasing herself in front of some of the most powerful men in the city. Those things are both true, as far as they go. But there is no way the men who see these things are going to go telling everyone all about it. Not only because of the aspect everyone else has mentioned, that the super smug and self-satisfied Elias is getting gigacucked and has no idea about it. Consider: what are they gonna do, casually drop in conversation at the country club that they saw the craziest thing at their secret illegal brothel club last weekend? The members of the club have just as much to lose socially and reputationally as Felicia does. In fact, they're probably even more at risk if word gets out to the wrong people. And that doesn't even consider the potential for August sending an "associate" to do very bad things to them and/or their families if they open their mouths where they shouldn't.

That's why I think some patrons and August are going to be displeased if Elias shows up at the exhibition: 1) it would spoil the fun of "this giant cuck has no idea"; 2) his realisation might jeopardise the Club secrecy.

Just an observation: every main character - Edwin, Ian, Kathleen, the Carnations, Mina, Hana, Chuck, Victoria, August, most house girls, Warren, the club patrons - are fucked in the head in their own way.

 

[Beduin123]

Oh man, Beduin123 vs The World once again.

I agreed with the world, don't you see? As I said, people cannot read the comments.

 

[Ozymandias037]

Well, firstly you didn't get my main point about my perception of Felicia's character.

Secondly, as I said twice, according to the porn logic you are absolutely correct. But how many rich people you know personally who like to degrade themselves, who like to be submissive? How many rich people you know at all?

Thirdly, you are wrong in many details. For example, August threatening the families of the club members is ridiculous. Whom would he threaten, the city's police chief or other millionaires? You probably watched too many gangster movies about all powerful mafia, but in reality the mafia exists as long as the state is weak or allows the mafia to exist for some reason. And August isn't even a mafia boss but just a successful pimp.

But that's OK. I don't want to return to the lengthy discussions about details, they lead nowhere and anyway people always read the comments in the wrong way.

I get it from you and other members that Felicia is a sick, mentally unstable, unpredictable whore without self respect. That's OK, means she is not an LI but a side girl in my view. Still good to watch porn with her.

I think it sums it up.

I know several people who I would consider rich, actually (for reference, I don't know exactly finances but I know their net worth is over $2,000,000). I don't know the....proclivities of all of them, but one of them is quite open with close friends about how erotic they find being dominated, and they have regular monthly appointments with a dominatrix. No intercourse, because both the dominatrix and the rich person want to stay on the right side of the law, but various other kinky things.

Because here's the other secret about S&M, at least in the real world: When it's done right, the sub has all the power. The sub can make everything stop at any moment, and that's what makes it safe to play around in that transgressive space. But I don't want to get too far off topic.

Obviously Felicia's situation in the game is not quite the same, because she doesn't have quite as much freedom to make everything stop as a client paying for a service in the real world. But even so, Felicia is involved in this competition by choice, because she thinks it will help her get what she wants. She could walk away at any moment. That's one of the reasons Kathleen is on such a mission to make it personal and fuck with Felicia's head. She wants to see Felicia desperate and miserable, like the others.

I think you misinterpreted what I meant about August threatening family members. I didn't mean to imply that he had done so -- I don't think he has. All I meant to say is that the members of the club know he is a dangerous man, and not to be crossed. I admit I'm making assumptions here, but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that they'd think a lot more than twice before pissing him off. That's the thing about threats -- they work best when they're implied.

Finally, I think you're still missing the biggest point that all of us are trying to make about Felicia. You keep saying she's cheap, tainted, tarnished, lacking self-respect. I think the crux of the issue is that you simply can't conceive of a person who could accept the humiliation and degradation that the Carnations go through while still maintaining positive self-image. the rest of us recognize that those two things are not mutually exclusive, especially for someone who actively gets off on being treated that way. It's not my jam either, personally, but I have no trouble accepting that there are people who find it more tolerable and less repugnant than you seem to. Felicia, specifically, simply does not care. For her, it's a means to an end, with the very large cherry on top that she actively enjoys it.

And that's okay! I feel it's important to acknowledge that I have seen and understand you saying that Felicia is one of your favorite characters despite what you see as unrealistic or disappointing aspects. I disagree with you about most of the things you find disappointing, but that's okay too! I've said my piece, you've said yours, and I have no problem with agreeing to disagree, since it's clear you'll not be convinced to change your mind. Which, again, is fine.

At the end of the day, I think the fact that so many people have chimed into this argument over however many dozens of posts it's been only serves to illustrate how great this game is. What other porn game has such depth of character that people will spend actual weeks of our presumably busy lives arguing over the motivations, personalities, flaws, and foibles of characters who, at the simplest possible level, exist just so we can all get off?

I've said this many times, but the richness of character and story that the developers have put into this game simply blows me away. The very fact that we can sit here and discuss these characters in such depth and so many aspects of their personalities and choices absolutely amazes me. TD has created real, three-dimensional characters and placed them in situations that demand we, as the readers, think about things we might otherwise not. And the craziest thing of all, to me, is that it's a porn game! I am constantly amazed at finding such Literary Merit (Capitalized for Serious English Professor Navel Gazing) in a piece of media like this. I would never have imagined it possible. But here we are, and I'm gleefully along for the ride.

Even if we do know it's going to end really badly for a lot of the characters we've come to love shhhhhhhhhh

 

[Beduin123]

I don't know the....

As I said, you don't know. There is this popular culture image that some of them must be into extreme submission, but that's it.

I think you misinterpreted what I meant about August threatening family members.

No, I didn't. I got exactly what you meant and replied accordingly.

Finally, I think you're still missing the biggest point that all of us are trying to make about Felicia.

No, now I see your point according to the porn logic. Still looks very unlikely for me outside of it.

how great this game is

Totally agree with you on that and suggest that we leave it at it.

 

[Turret]

But anyway, most people are idiots and cannot read, let alone think.

Soso, thanks for this information. Even with some truth in that, you know with sentences like these you sound like a wrong-way driver rageing about the big bunch of ghost drivers he meets all day?

That's what I also find unrealistic. I guess that's how porn logic works, but IRL it's hard to imagine highly intelligent and determined woman, who Felicia is, enjoying to be degraded to such low level. I mean there is no physical pleasure for a woman to be spunk on by a dozen of old dirty men or being degraded in other ways. So, either she is totally fucked up in the head, and I mean totally (you can call it a kink or whatever), or she does it for money (which is clearly not Felicia's case).
So, again I agree, by the pure porn logic it may be OK. But in this case Felicia loses a large part of her appeal to me as I don't enjoy smart and beautiful women being completely degraded to the dirt. It means they don't have self respect which means I, in turn, have no respect for them.
In the beginning of the game she appeared as a mysterious, smart, manipulative and extremely beautiful woman, but her present image is rather a mentally troubled, unstable and broken person. I think in its core it is this change of her character that I find hard to accommodate.

As Ozymandias037 already mentioned, sexual preferences like exhibitionism, dom/sub play, prefered position, clothes, etc. exist. For all of us, in various mixtures. Many of those are not physical, but mental things, the brain is the biggest sex organ of all at the end!
Felicia is an avid exhibitionist, likes sub games among other sex-related stuff. So her plan was not so bad in the first place. Giving Elias a hidden longbowman salute, have fun and gain connections/influence outside(!) Elias sphere. And when you do not play to deliberately lose, you can see it is working not too shabbily. Felicia gains influence with some of the influential guys. you might have overlooked it, but one of Elias biggest rivals is busy "courting" Felicia just for the giggles to know he has Elias by the metaphorical balls if he can get Felicia on his side.
You seem to not take into account that Felicia is NOT out to get the respect of the PC club members, that is not something she expects. Nice if she gets it, but not problematic if not. She is out for influence, power and riches of her own to save her heart project. It is secondary for her how respected she is among the Club if she gains the influence she needs. Working relationships function better with respect, but is not necessary to function. That´s Felicia´s calculus for the competition.

Her biggest problem is Kath with her sadism. Felicia is clearly one of Epikur´s children, sex, even kinky sex is for FUN. So she is unprepared for some of Kath´s games. Feli sucks at taking and dishing out punishment, as we can see in game. And to the total surprise of Rosi and Veronika, who have problems processing that Feli took 20 minutes of abuse without problems because it tickled some of her sexual kinks one week, but cannot stand other abuse at all the next.
While nor part of my main playthroughs, there is a scene you can get which illustrates this very well. During the scene with the cattle prods in a variant Felicia starts crying and mumbles paraphrased "How can this be fun? It only hurts."

 

[Beduin123]

gain connections/influence outside(!) Elias sphere

That's the most lame part of that. I know some people from business world and they always regard sluts (no matter how smart or stylish they are) as sluts. Not as prospective partners if that is what Felicia wants. You cannot expect to exercise influence over somebody whom you are totally submitted to.
In my view influence contains a hefty part of respect. Especially in the business world.

 

[crastock]

That's what I also find unrealistic. I guess that's how porn logic works, but IRL it's hard to imagine highly intelligent and determined woman, who Felicia is, enjoying to be degraded to such low level. I mean there is no physical pleasure for a woman to be spunk on by a dozen of old dirty men or being degraded in other ways. So, either she is totally fucked up in the head, and I mean totally (you can call it a kink or whatever), or she does it for money (which is clearly not Felicia's case).

So, again I agree, by the pure porn logic it may be OK. But in this case Felicia loses a large part of her appeal to me as I don't enjoy smart and beautiful women being completely degraded to the dirt. It means they don't have self respect which means I, in turn, have no respect for them.

In the beginning of the game she appeared as a mysterious, smart, manipulative and extremely beautiful woman, but her present image is rather a mentally troubled, unstable and broken person. I think in its core it is this change of her character that I find hard to accommodate.

Felicia is clearly not more troubled than the rest of the characters in this game.
Since the very beginning of the game she shows very little inhibition (since she literally fucks the MC while nearly knowing them). Its true she does have some wierd sexual fantasies, but at the same time she actually doesn't enjoy physical pain or extreme types of humiliation, so for the most part she only put up with some things in the exhibition.
What set her apart from the other two Carnations is her low inhibition and being more sexually liberated(or shameless, whatever you want to call it), other than that the exhibition is a means to an end for her.
So yeah, I don't know what leads you to belive that she is somehow insane or unpredictable, when she much more level-headed and intelligent than the rest of the cast.

 

[crastock]

That's the most lame part of that. I know some people from business world and they always regard sluts (no matter how smart or stylish they are) as sluts. Not as prospective partners if that is what Felicia wants. You cannot expect to exercise influence over somebody whom you are totally submitted to.
In my view influence contains a hefty part of respect. Especially in the business world.

I don't think she is looking for another husband, lol

Also, you can see many rich men marrying promiscuous women.

 

[Beduin123]

Since the very beginning of the game she shows very little inhibition (since she literally fucks the MC while nearly knowing them).

Fucking a stranger or being humiliated in front of a group of strangers is a bit different. Don't you think?

I had a girlfriend who brought me home and bedded me within two hours after we first met. And she was very sexually liberated up to the point of wanting to have sex in parks and other public places. But she would never publicly degrade herself. If she would, I'd lose interest in her the very moment.
But I can believe some people may find it hot when their GF does it. Just never met one IRL.

I don't think she is looking for another husband, lol

I don't suggest that but I also don't understand what kind of "influence" she can find.

Also, you can see many rich men marrying promiscuous women.

True, but there is still a difference between a gold digger and a total slut. Marrying a slut can be harmful for your reputation and that's what these folks value above all.

 

[ffive]

What makes you be so sure that Chuck won't discipline (reprimand or punish) Grace for what she did?

He's already explained it -- Chuck doesn't give two shits about Victoria, so why would he care that Grace has been rude to her, or think that's something that warrants a punishment?

And no, "but Ian likes Victoria" doesn't necessarily make Victoria valuable to Chuck, or for Chuck to fret that Grace has been rude to her. If anything, it may be quite the opposite, since Victoria is potentially an opposing influence that holds Ian back from fully embracing the attitude Chuck wants Ian to have, i.e. full-on hedonism where other people are just toys for personal amusement.

To add further, no way will Chuck risk antagonizing his nephew that he loves.

Why is it? You have just been telling us how unconditional spoiling is bad, and that a parent won't refrain from disciplining their children and that Chuck will for sure punish his beloved Grace. That is very much antagonizing said children, and yet you believe Chuck has it in him just fine. But suddenly not when it comes to Ian, even though he's also like a parent to him?

I'm pretty sure Chuck would be perfectly willing to antagonize Ian if it meant he can get Ian to become what Chuck wants him to become in the end.

 

[crastock]

Fucking a stranger or being humiliated in front of a group of strangers is a bit different. Don't you think?

I had a girlfriend who brought me home and bedded me within two hours after we first met. And she was very sexually liberated up to the point of wanting to have sex in parks and other public places. But she would never publicly degrade herself. If she would, I'd lose interest in her the very moment.
But I can believe some people may find it hot when their GF does it. Just never met one IRL.
difference between a gold digger and a total slut. Marrying a slut can be harmful for your reputation and that's what these folks value above all.

Duh!
I guess my point is that Felicia enjoys that on her own term, she doesn't mind exposing herself, and she gets off on showing her body and having sex on stage. I mean yeah, those are pretty wierd predilections, and I agree most men could find it off putting, but it doesn't make her insane. Also she doesn't enjoy all kind of degradation or masochism, I wouldn't even say she is a masochist.

As for gaining influence... her ultimate goals are kinda unattainable given the chauvinistic attitudes of the patrons, but who knows... I think this is also part of her having low inhibitions, even if her plan fails and joining the club leads her nowhere she kinda feels untouchable, which will come to bit her in the ass later. But even all this wouldn't make her insane, just much less clever than she thinks she is.

 

[ffive]

That's the most lame part of that. I know some people from business world and they always regard sluts (no matter how smart or stylish they are) as sluts. Not as prospective partners if that is what Felicia wants. You cannot expect to exercise influence over somebody whom you are totally submitted to.
In my view influence contains a hefty part of respect. Especially in the business world.

Felicia isn't looking for business partners. She's looking to blackmail people from safety granted by being in position of power.

As for exercising influence over someone you've submitted to -- you are confusing business transaction and consensual sexual act with social life outside of it. Again. To bring up pretty obvious example: certain president to-be may be thinking of literal prostitute as a "slut" that he's fucked, but he's still paid her plenty of hush money just the same. I doubt the woman was particularly heart-broken how he talks about her, while she was laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Turret]

That's the most lame part of that. I know some people from business world and they always regard sluts (no matter how smart or stylish they are) as sluts. Not as prospective partners if that is what Felicia wants. You cannot expect to exercise influence over somebody whom you are totally submitted to.
In my view influence contains a hefty part of respect. Especially in the business world.

Once again, Felicia is not into finding a new husband in the Club. It is all about gaining the means to save the art school. Respect and all that is secondary. Also you overlook one big thing I and several other members already told you. Felicia is very uninhibited, but even she has red lines. For instance you can see at her reactions that her sub/humiliation kink is mostly about roleplaying it.
Real humiliation and pain is NOT something she likes, quite the contrary. It is actually a big surprise for Feli that Kath is so much into sadism, humiliation and pain and shapes the competition to suit these whims.

As for respect, influence and the business world it seems you have quite a rosetinted view. Or maybe you mix up business deals with social life outside it? You know that the number of functional psychopaths in the business world (some other sectors as well) is above average? And when it comes to the calculus of business, respect is nice, but secondary! For example, the firm I work in has a business partner whom our boss cannot stand at all and would like to replace sooner than later. But that is not happening and will not happen since in raw numbers it is a good deal trading with them.
A century ago, you might have had the option to exchange this business partner without all too much trouble. Unfortunately today the business world is a tank of sharks more than in earlier times and you have to do what is good for your business.

 

[crastock]

I agree. But the way she is paraded by Elias isn't as a slut, the public person she presents is clearly different to her true self.
But maybe she thinks she doesn't need respect (?), she does have the patrons intrigued by her mentality, her shamelessness or whatever... Again I don't really know what Felicia is trying to cook up, nor would I defend it, I think it's not the point for her to have an impeccable plan in mind just that she has a motivation outside exploring some wierd exhibitionist fantasies.