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If the BBEG casts dominate person on an NPC and orders it to "Act normally, as if you were not dominated by me, but don't reveal you are dominated to anyone!", would said NPC live his life normally for the duration of the spell?
If the answer to the former question is a 'yes', would everyone else know he is dominated at all? Would the Sense Motive DC be still 15?
As far as I understood the spell, with this 'trick', the BBEG would be able to create a dormant dominate spell, only triggering it when he needs the target to do something (and only then granting the normal bonuses). The NPC's allies would not be able to know anything is wrong about him, correct?
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I'm working on a campaign that needs the BBEG to have a couple people dominated, but since the Sense Motive to notice the spell is pretty low, it is unrealistic that he could do so without raising a lot of flags, which is obviously problematic.
I know that I can houserule as I want, but I hate to do things outside of the rules.
IMHO, the Sense Motive check is done because a dominated character lacks free will and acts a bit like a zombie. I don't think that telling him to behave normally would change that.
The second someone tells you to act normal, you're acting. That's what the sense motive picks up.
"Act normal" is usually followed by the absolute worst acting performance ever.
Use GM fiat and create a variant spell. Increase spell level by one compared to regular Dominate Person if you want it to be extra fair.