...that I'm your ex-husband"

Susanne's Subservience/Threatened Level: -10. You are on the Threatened path for Susanne.

"Excuse me?" Susanne sounded shocked. it seemed out of nowhere for Dev to make such a comment.

"I think the only healthy way to process your emotions from that bad breakup is exposure theory. Let's roleplay and see how you feel. Don't you agree that this is the best way to deal with the aftermath?" Dev twisted into a smile. "I still want you to call me Dev, though."

Susanne couldn't help but agree. "Yes, Dev. It seems a little unorthodox, especially here and now..."

"Susanne, you need to think about the bigger picture!" Dev shouted at her in a gravelly voice, already assuming the mantle of the ex-husband. "The reason you never do anything right is because you get so caught up in the little details!" Dev got up to close the blinds, to maintain secrecy of what was to ensue. He then wandered over to her side of the table and stood a little too close to her. Looking down at her helpless self only fuelled this power fantasy further.

"Y-you're right, Dev. I'm sorry.."

"Sorry's not good enough! You've said sorry a million times and each time you say it, I respect you less."

"Umm, you want me to talk back to you?"

"No, you bitch!" Dev pushed his luck. Susanne got wide-eyed for a second, "I want you to prove you mean what you say. Prove your words, prove your worth."

"Dev, you can't just talk to me like that..." Susanne started and trailed off. Her eyes dazed before she slowly submitted once again. "Dev, I shouldn't talk to you like that, I really am sorry. What can I do to make it up to you? How can I show you I'm worth your respect? Please, I just don't want you to leave me again!"

Dev loved that she was so into the roleplay. Only, this wasn't roleplaying to her; in her mind, she was reliving being with her ex. "Don't you get it Susanne? You bitch?" Dev said nonchalantly to his junior in rank and senior in age. He placed his hands on both her shoulders and swivelled her chair to make sure she was facing him directly. "Look at me. I shouldn't have to tell you. You need to figure out how best to please me. If you can't figure that out, then it's no wonder I left you for that other blonde. Do you remember her?"

Dev could read from her reaction that she did, but she could only look away. "I-I..." She was deflated, not only in body language but in her mind. Her voice was beginning to crack at the dark memories overwhelming this moment for her, even more so than Dev's powers were.

He made her face him again. It's time to improv. Surely, she'll just go with this, right? "She was a younger, hotter version of you, and certainly the more fun version. Do you really think I'd be happy being with just you? Do you think I'd be satisfied?"

She started to well up. Silence deafened the room for what felt like an age.

"You will do something, won't you? Right here, right now. Or else I'm just going to leave again. And it will all be your fault once again." Dev bent down, barely an inch away from her face and whispered slowly in a vile, overbearing tone that sent shivers down the paralegal's spine: "What. Will. You. Do?"

She started tearing up and sniffling. "I'm... *sob* I'm not useless. Please stay with *sob* with me.." she managed to say. Then, she started unbuttoning Dev's trousers.