An increasingly stale relationship had led to Michael and Imogen drifting further apart. An added problem was Michael's unspoken and unshared desire for Imogen to dominate him sexually. There was no way that he could broach the subject with her. She would think that she was living with some sort of 'pervert'. Her upbringing and school days had been very strict. Wild sex, in her view, was her on top.
It hadn't been enough for Michael and in his desire to be dominated he had approached a dominatrix who would satisfy his submissive desires.
His visits to Joanne had helped make the relationship with Imogen sustainable. However, when the day arrived when Imogen asked about 'Joanne', he realised that things were about to change for them all.