When Anthony showed up at my doorstep with a giant rocking horse, I knew he was up to something. My ex-husband never did anything without a reason, especially when it came to Ethan.

He stood there, grinning like he’d just brought Ethan the moon, while I could feel my blood pressure rising.

“Hey, Genevieve. Thought Ethan might like this,” Anthony said, his tone infuriatingly cheerful. He always knew how to mask his intentions with that fake charm.

I forced a smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. “That’s… thoughtful of you, Anthony.”

I could never have imagined how this toy would upend my life.

I stepped aside to let him in, watching as he carried the oversized toy into the living room.

“Ethan’s in his room,” I said.

Anthony didn’t need to be told twice. He bounded up the stairs, calling out, “Hey, buddy! Come see what Daddy brought you!”

I leaned against the doorframe, rubbing my temples. It wasn’t the first time Anthony had tried to win Ethan’s affection with extravagant gifts. Every time it was the same.

My son’s eyes would light up, delighted with the toy. Then Anthony would deliver some bad news and I’d be left to pick up the emotional pieces after Anthony left.

“Mom! Look at what Dad got me!” Ethan’s voice echoed down the stairs, full of excitement.

Moments later, he came barreling into the living room, Anthony following close behind. Ethan’s face was alight with joy, his hands gripping the horse’s reins. I forced a smile, but I was waiting for the ‘bad news’ part of the visit.

“It’s amazing, Dad! Can I ride it now?”

“Of course, sport,” Anthony said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “Just be careful, okay?”

“Alright,” I agreed, “just for a bit. It’s almost dinnertime. Dad’s taking you for pizza, remember?”

“That reminds me… ” Anthony put on a charming grin as he turned to me. “I won’t be able to take Ethan out tonight.”

“What?” Ethan stopped rocking to stare at Anthony.

I let out a sigh. Here we go again.

“I’m sorry, bud, but Daddy has to work,” Anthony replied, crouching beside Ethan. “I’ll make up for it next weekend, promise.”

Ethan hung his head and sniffled.

“And until then, you can play on your horse, okay?” Anthony continued. “If you play on it every day, then I’ll get you a real cowboy hat to wear while you’re riding Patches over here, okay?”

Anthony patted the horse’s neck. Ethan bobbed his head and climbed onto the horse.

“I’ll ride him every day so you can visit me, Dad,” Ethan said.

My heart broke a little, but Anthony just ruffled Ethan’s hair and headed for the door. I put out a hand, catching him by the elbow as he breezed past me.

“You can’t keep doing this, Tony,” I said in a low voice. “Expensive gifts are no substitute for spending time with your child.”

Tony jerked his arm from my grip.

“Don’t lecture me, Genevieve. In fact, you should be trying to stay sweet with me. Or have you forgotten that my lawyers are challenging the custody agreement?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course not.”

He gave me a grin that looked more like a snarl and hurried off outside. As I watched him leave, I couldn’t help but wonder if we’d ever reach a point where we could co-parent peacefully.

“Hey, Ethan, we can still go out for pizza, if you want?” I called to my son as I shut the door.

“Thanks, Mom,” Ethan replied.

As Ethan climbed off the horse, a knot of unease drew taut in my stomach. There was something off about the whole thing, something more than Anthony’s usual nonsense, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Over the next few days, Ethan was inseparable from that rocking horse. Every free moment was spent riding it, his laughter filling the house. It was almost enough to drown out my growing sense of dread. Almost.

Then, the noise started.

At first, it was just a faint clicking sound, like plastic gears struggling against each other. I dismissed it, figuring it was just an old mechanism in the toy. But the sound grew louder, more persistent until it was impossible to ignore.

One night, as the wind howled outside, I heard the clicking again, more pronounced than ever. Ethan had been asleep for hours, and the noise was coming from his room.

I grabbed a flashlight and crept down the hallway.

Pushing Ethan’s door open, I saw the rocking horse swaying slightly, moved by the draft from the open window. The clicking noise sent a chill down my spine. I approached it cautiously, determined to get rid of the annoying sound.

I kneeled down to examine the base. As I tilted the horse, the clicking grew louder. My fingers brushed against something hard and uneven. I pulled back, shining the flashlight under the horse.

That’s when I saw a small, hidden compartment on the horse’s belly. The toy didn’t take batteries, so what was it for?

I plucked at the edge of the compartment door with my fingernails and pried it open.

Something fell out of the compartment and landed in my hand. I was surprised, but that quickly gave way to outright shock when I realized the mysterious object was a tiny voice recorder.

I stared dumbly at it, trying to think of how it might’ve gotten there when the realization hit me like a freight train. Anthony.

He was trying to gather evidence against me, to challenge our custody arrangement. The fury that surged through me was overwhelming. How dare he use our son like this?

I slipped out of Ethan’s room, leaving the horse behind, but clutching the voice recorder in my hand.

My mind was racing as I paced the living room, feeling tears of frustration welling up. I tried to recall everything I’d said near that horse. Could any of my words be twisted to make me look unfit?

My thoughts were a jumbled mess of anger, hurt, and betrayal. I couldn’t believe Anthony would stoop to this level.

Sure, our divorce had been messy, but dragging Ethan into this? That was a new low, even for him. My fingers trembled as I stared at the recorder, the urge to smash it against the wall almost overwhelming.

But I had to be smart about this. I needed advice, someone to reassure me that I wasn’t about to lose my son over this.

With shaky hands, I dialed my lawyer’s number. She picked up on the second ring.

“Genevieve? What’s wrong?” Susan’s calm, steady voice was a lifeline.

“Susan, you won’t believe what Anthony did,” I said, my voice cracking. “He planted a voice recorder in Ethan’s rocking horse. He’s trying to gather evidence against me.”

Susan sighed, and I could hear her shuffling papers in the background. “Take a deep breath, Genevieve. Any evidence gathered this way is inadmissible in court. He can’t use it against you.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Absolutely,” Susan replied confidently. “Stay calm. This will only backfire on him if it comes to light. How did you find it?”

I explained the whole thing, from the strange noises to the late-night discovery.

Susan listened patiently, and when I finished, she said, “Alright. Here’s what you’re going to do. Use this to your advantage. Make sure whatever’s on that recorder is useless. Turn the tables on him.”

Her words sparked a fire in me.

I wasn’t going to let Anthony get away with this. “Thanks, Susan. I’ll take it from here.”

Determined, I lifted the recorder and spoke directly into it. “Did you hear my lawyer, Anthony? Whatever you’re trying to pull off won’t work.”

I spent the next few hours setting the trap. I placed the recorder next to the TV and let it capture hours of children’s cartoons and TV ads.

The mundane, repetitive noise would leave him with nothing but frustration.

Once I was satisfied, I carefully placed the recorder back inside the rocking horse, ensuring everything looked untouched. The satisfaction of outsmarting Anthony was almost tangible.

The weekend came, and with it, Anthony’s visit. I greeted him with forced politeness, my stomach churning with anticipation. I watched discreetly as he interacted with Ethan, his eyes flicking to the rocking horse more than once.

“Ethan, why don’t you show Daddy how you ride your horse?” I suggested, my voice saccharine sweet.

Ethan obliged, hopping onto the horse with glee. Anthony’s eyes followed him, a calculating look crossing his face.

I waited, heart pounding, as Anthony subtly retrieved the device. I could barely contain my satisfaction, imagining his frustration when he listened to the useless recordings.

Days passed, and Anthony never brought up the incident. His silence spoke volumes. It was as if he knew he had been defeated and didn’t want to admit it. I interpreted his silence as an acknowledgment of defeat, a silent truce.

The sense of triumph and relief I felt was immense. I had protected my son and outwitted my ex-husband. This victory, small but significant, reinforced my resolve to remain vigilant.

Anthony wouldn’t get the better of me. Not now, not ever.

In the quiet moments after Ethan had gone to bed, I found myself smiling. The house was silent, the rocking horse standing innocently in the corner.

I’d been tested, and I had prevailed. And I knew I’d do it again, whatever it took, to keep my son safe and happy.

Here’s another story: Diana feels happy and nervous as she gets ready to marry Tom. But her five-year-old son’s objection stuns everyone and brings the ceremony to a halt. As the guests murmur in shock, Ethan reveals a secret that makes everyone go pale. What does Ethan know about Tom that could change everything? Click here to find out!

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.