When Genevieve’s ex-husband, Anthony, arrived with a wooden rocking horse for their son Ethan, her instincts flared. Anthony never gave gifts out of love—there were always strings attached. Still, Ethan’s joy melted her hesitation, and she allowed it. But then the strange clicking from the toy began. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
She chalked it up to old mechanics at first. But one night, after Ethan drifted to sleep, the clicking grew louder. Curious and uneasy, Genevieve opened the toy and discovered a hidden compartment. Inside was a small voice recorder, still running. Her hands trembled as she held the tiny device.
Her stomach turned. Anthony was spying—likely trying to collect evidence to use against her in a custody battle. Furious but composed, she called her lawyer, Susan. Susan assured her it was illegal and useless in court—and then gave her a clever idea. Genevieve was done playing defense.
She filled the recorder with background noise from cartoons and vacuuming. Days later, Anthony came for his visit and slyly retrieved the device, thinking he’d scored something useful. He never brought it up again. Genevieve didn’t need his confession—his silence was proof she’d won this round. She hugged Ethan tighter that night, grateful he’d never know how close she came to losing him.