"Your name is Max, right? What do you think about your parents' relationship?"
While Fletcher and Audrey were locked in a tense standoff, digging up each other's past mistakes, Mike stepped aside and approached their son.
Five-year-old Max was incredibly cute, but he gave off the vibe of a little adult. Holding a toy airplane, he wasn't crying or throwing a tantrum; instead, he looked unusually "mature and composed."
"Even though Fletcher (Dad) lies a lot, I still want him to make up with Mom. I don't like Jerry..."
Max answered openly.
For a five-year-old, this kid clearly understood a lot.
And Mike had already confirmed that the root of Fletcher's problem definitely lay with his son.
The only issue now was how to get the little guy to drop the trait orb.
"Do you want your parents to get back together?" Mike asked pointedly.
"You know how?!"
Sure enough, hearing Mike's question, little Max's emotional state spiked.
"Of course. Just watch and learn~"
Mike stepped forward confidently.
Thanks to his mind-reading ability, he had already discovered that Audrey still had feelings for Fletcher.
The main reason she divorced him was his complete irresponsibility toward their family and their son.
As long as Fletcher was willing to be a good father and a good husband, Audrey was actually willing to forgive him.
As for Fletcher's feelings for his wife and son, he had made that abundantly clear the entire ride over.
With this kind of foundation, the couple only needed a specific "catalyst" to reconcile.
And providing that catalyst was exactly what Mike planned to do.
"Fletcher, do you still love your wife?"
Under the little boy's hopeful gaze, Mike stepped right up and asked bluntly.
Right now, Fletcher was essentially "cursed" by God, meaning whatever came out of his mouth next would undoubtedly be the absolute truth.
"Of course I still love her! I'd give everything I have for her..."
Fletcher spilled his true feelings uncontrollably, before immediately pivoting to complain,
"But look how she treats me! We haven't even been divorced that long, and she's already dragging our five-year-old son around with another man!"
Even though the second half of Fletcher's outburst wasn't exactly pleasant, his raw honesty instantly softened the tension in the air.
Sensing her husband's true "intentions," Audrey quickly explained,
"There's actually nothing going on between me and Jerry. He heard I got divorced and has just been constantly pestering me."
With that, the situation became crystal clear.
Audrey wasn't nearly as heartless as Fletcher had imagined, meaning all their problems still had a chance to be salvaged.
"I can prove it! Mom doesn't like Jerry, and I don't like him either..."
Max, who had been closely watching his parents, finally found an opening to chime in.
At the same time, he made sure to run over and hug Fletcher's arm, blinking his big eyes and utilizing a flawless "cute attack."
He was trying to get his father to "accept" him again.
After all, he was only a five-year-old kid. No matter how much he tried to act like an adult, there was a limit to how mature he could really be.
[Blessing: Power of Truth (Trait)]
Right at that moment, Mike finally secured the trait orb from Max.
Just as he had guessed, the person who had "good intentions but caused a disaster" was none other than Fletcher's son, Max.
The little guy's original wish was probably just for his dad to stop his nasty habit of lying, so he could show a little more "genuine" care for the family.
But the reality didn't quite play out the way the kid had imagined. Being physically forced to only tell the truth didn't make Fletcher's family happier.
If anything, it had completely backfired!
...
"Ms. Audrey, do you still love your husband?"
Having integrated his new ability, Mike suddenly shifted his focus to Audrey.
Since he had already achieved his primary goal, he didn't mind lending the Fletcher family a helping hand before leaving.
"I... of course I love him~"
Under the influence of the [Power of Truth], Audrey was forced to speak her true feelings.
The bizarre sensation of the words tumbling out against her will made the woman a little panicked.
But she quickly changed her tune,
"But I know he doesn't deserve this love. On his own son's fifth birthday, he chose to run off and fool around with another woman instead of coming home to celebrate with him..."
Personal feelings aside, Fletcher had undeniably failed spectacularly in his roles as both a father and a husband.
"Then what about you, Fletcher? If you manage to make peace with your wife and son, are you willing to spend more time treating them right from now on?" Mike asked bluntly once more.
"I am~"
Fletcher, who hadn't known how to break the ice, followed the overwhelming urge to confess.
"If Audrey and Max are willing to give me one more chance, I swear I'll be a good husband and a good father. I'll use all my love to make it up to them..."
Under the barrage of "genuine" confessions, Fletcher slowly but surely won back his ex-wife's "favor."
For two people who already had a foundation of love, the walls between them unconsciously began to crumble.
In that moment, Fletcher felt truly happy.
He even felt that if he could just get his family back, never being able to tell a lie again wouldn't be such a big deal after all.
"Fletcher, if you want to completely get rid of that 'curse' you've got, make sure you throw your son that make-up fifth birthday party when you get back~"
Seeing the Fletcher family gradually returning to harmony, Mike decided his work here was done and prepared to exit stage left.
As for Fletcher's "curse," as long as he maintained his persona as a good father and husband, the problem would naturally resolve itself.
After all, little Max's original intention was simply for his father to care more about the family.
...
"Were those friends of yours?"
After Mike and Needy left, Audrey asked curiously.
To be honest, the vibe Mike gave off earlier was incredibly mysterious.
"N-no, I don't even know them~" Fletcher shook his head.
It was only then that Fletcher realized the guy had just done him a massive favor, and he didn't even know his name.
"Well, if you ever run into them again, make sure you thank them properly."
Audrey didn't dwell on the subject and moved on. "Now, let's talk about you. If you want Max and me to accept you again, you don't just have to throw Max his birthday party. You also have to take him to the amusement park. You promised him that ages ago..."
Having reconciled, Audrey seemed ready to start digging up old debts again.
But this time, the complaints sounded like music to Fletcher's ears.
"No problem. Whatever you need, I'll do it. And that includes every promise I've ever made to you," Fletcher smiled, making a new promise.
Of course, since his "curse" hadn't been lifted yet, this promise was 100% genuine.
...
"Needy, be honest with me. Do you still want to avenge Jennifer?"
On the drive back to the mansion, Mike suddenly turned and asked the woman beside him.
[Blessing: Power of Truth]: Can forcefully compel the target to speak their true inner thoughts.
The ability was simple and direct.
Mike had already tested it out, and it was incredibly practical—plus, it was way easier to control than the [Eavesdropping on Women's Hearts] ability.
"I don't know..."
Needy looked deeply conflicted. "Maybe I should avenge Jennifer, but my instincts are telling me I can't do that."
As her human emotions continued to fade, the woman spoke less and less.
Getting such a long sentence out of her was actually incredibly rare.
"It's best if you can figure that out for yourself!"
Having a solid grasp of her true mindset put Mike in a much better mood.
Of course, whether she was worthy of his complete trust would still depend entirely on her future actions.