Natalie originally was a main LI, but she got shifted to side and Nikki took her place. That’s why Natalie gets a lot of attention early in the game, while Nikki doesn’t.Hot take: Ashley gives off strong side character energy, definitely not main material in my opinion. Honestly, I'd swap her out and give that main spot to Lexi or Natalie instead. They bring more depth and presence, while Ashley just doesn’t carry the same weight as the others—just my opinion.
dev seemingly ended up in a pickle about how to deal with Natalie, and couldn’t figure out how to have a good extended plot with her, so she got demoted, and Nikki got promoted.