When Isolde’s ex-husband gives their son a rocking horse, her instincts warn her something’s wrong. Her worry grows when it starts making odd sounds, leading to a shocking find. Determined to keep her family safe, Isolde quickly calls her lawyer.
When Rune showed up at my doorstep with a big rocking horse, I sensed he was up to something. My ex-husband never did anything without a hidden plan, especially when it came to Zevran.
He stood there, smiling like he’d just handed Zevran the stars, while my irritation started to build.
“Hey, Isolde. Thought Zevran would like this,” Rune said, his voice annoyingly upbeat. He always hid his motives with that fake charm.
I forced a smile, though it probably looked strained. “That’s… kind of you, Rune.”
I could never have imagined how this toy would turn my life upside down.
I stepped aside to let him in, watching as he carried the large toy into the living room.
“Zevran’s in his room,” I said.
Rune didn’t wait. He hurried up the stairs, shouting, “Hey, little man! Come see what Dad got you!”
I leaned against the doorway, rubbing my head. This wasn’t the first time Rune tried to win Zevran over with fancy gifts. It was always the same pattern.
My son’s eyes would sparkle with joy over the toy. Then Rune would drop bad news, leaving me to deal with the emotional mess after he left.
“Mom! Look what Dad got me!” Zevran’s voice came from the stairs, full of excitement.
Moments later, he rushed into the living room, Rune following close behind. Zevran’s face glowed with happiness, his hands holding the horse’s reins. I managed a smile, but I was bracing for the bad news part of the visit.
“It’s awesome, Dad! Can I ride it now?”
“Of course, champ,” Rune said, tousling Zevran’s hair. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Alright,” I said, “but only for a bit. It’s almost dinnertime. Dad’s taking you for pizza, remember?”
“That reminds me…” Rune flashed a charming smile as he turned to me. “I can’t take Zevran out tonight.”
“What?” Zevran stopped rocking to stare at Rune.
I let out a sigh. Here we go again.
“Sorry, kiddo, but Dad’s got work,” Rune replied, kneeling beside Zevran. “I’ll make it up next weekend, I promise.”
Zevran hung his head and sniffled.
“But until then, you can play on your horse, okay?” Rune continued. “If you ride it every day, I’ll get you a real cowboy hat to wear while you’re riding Dusty here, alright?”
Rune patted the horse’s neck. Zevran nodded slowly and climbed onto the horse.
“I’ll ride him every day so you can visit me, Dad,” Zevran said.
My heart hurt a little, but Rune just ruffled Zevran’s hair and headed for the door. I caught his arm as he passed by.
“You can’t keep doing this, Rune,” I said quietly. “Big gifts don’t replace time with your son.”
Rune pulled his arm free. “Don’t lecture me, Isolde. You should be nice to me. Or have you forgotten my lawyers are fighting the custody deal?”
I rolled my eyes. “How could I?”
He gave me a smirk that felt like a jab and walked out. As I watched him leave, I wondered if we’d ever parent together peacefully.
“Hey, Zevran, we can still grab pizza if you want,” I called to my son as I shut the door.
“Thanks, Mom,” Zevran replied.
As Zevran climbed off the horse, a bad feeling tightened in my chest. Something about this felt off, more than Rune’s usual games, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.
Over the next few days, Zevran was glued to that rocking horse. Every free moment was spent riding it, his laughter echoing through the house. It was almost enough to ease my growing unease. Almost.
Then, the noises began.
At first, it was a faint ticking, like gears sticking inside the toy. I ignored it, thinking it was just an old part. But the sound got louder, more constant, until it was impossible to overlook.
One night, with the wind rattling the windows, I heard the ticking again, stronger than ever. Zevran had been asleep for hours, and the noise came from his room.
I grabbed a flashlight and crept down the hall.
Pushing Zevran’s door open, I saw the rocking horse moving slightly, swayed by a breeze from the open window. The ticking sent a shiver through me. I stepped closer, set on stopping the annoying sound.
I knelt to check the base. As I tilted the horse, the ticking grew louder. My fingers touched something hard and strange. 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 need batteries, so what was this?
I tugged at the compartment’s edge with my nails and popped it open.
Something dropped into my hand. I was surprised, but that turned to pure shock when I saw it was a tiny voice recorder.
I stared at it, trying to figure out how it got there, when the truth hit me hard. Rune.
He was trying to gather proof against me to fight our custody deal. Anger boiled inside me. How dare he use our son like this?
I slipped out of Zevran’s room, leaving the horse behind, clutching the recorder tightly.
My mind raced as I paced the living room, tears of anger welling up. I tried to recall everything I’d said near that horse. Could any of it be twisted to make me look bad?
My thoughts were a mess of fury, pain, and betrayal. I couldn’t believe Rune would sink this low.
Sure, our divorce was rough, but dragging Zevran into this? That was a new low, even for him. My hands shook as I stared at the recorder, wanting to smash it.
But I had to be clever. I needed advice, someone to assure me I wouldn’t lose my son over this.
With shaky hands, I dialed my lawyer’s number. Lysara picked up on the second ring.
“Isolde? What’s wrong?” Lysara’s steady voice was a lifeline.
“Lysara, you won’t believe what Rune did,” I said, my voice trembling. “He hid a voice recorder in Zevran’s rocking horse. He’s trying to get evidence against me.”
Lysara sighed, and I heard papers shuffling. “Take a deep breath, Isolde. Evidence like this won’t work in court. He can’t use it against you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked softly.
“Completely,” Lysara said confidently. “Stay calm. This could backfire on him if it comes up. How did you find it?”
I explained everything, from the odd noises to the late-night find.
Lysara listened patiently, and when I was done, she said, “Alright. Here’s what you do. Use this to your advantage. Make sure that recorder has nothing useful. Turn it around on him.”
Her words gave me a spark of hope.
I wasn’t going to let Rune win. “Thanks, Lysara. I’ll handle it.”
Determined, I held the recorder and spoke into it. “Hear my lawyer, Rune? Your plan’s not going to work.”
I spent the next few hours setting a trap. I placed the recorder by the TV and let it record hours of kids’ shows and ads.
The dull, repetitive noise would leave him with nothing but annoyance.
When I was done, I carefully put the recorder back in the horse, making sure it looked untouched. The thought of outsmarting Rune felt so good.
The weekend came, and so did Rune’s visit. I greeted him with fake politeness, my stomach twisting with excitement. I watched closely as he played with Zevran, his eyes glancing at the rocking horse more than once.
“Zevran, why don’t you show Dad how you ride your horse?” I suggested, my voice extra sweet.
Zevran happily hopped onto the horse, rocking away. Rune watched, a sneaky look on his face.
I waited, heart pounding, as Rune quietly took the recorder. I could barely hide my grin, imagining his frustration when he heard the useless recordings.
Days passed, and Rune never mentioned it. His silence said everything. It was like he knew he’d been beaten and didn’t want to admit it. I took his silence as a quiet defeat.
The relief and victory I felt were huge. I had protected my son and outwitted my ex-husband. This small but important win strengthened my resolve to stay alert.
Rune wouldn’t get the better of me. Not now, not ever.
In the quiet nights after Zevran went to bed, I found myself smiling. The house was calm, the rocking horse sitting innocently in the corner.
I’d been tested, and I’d come out on top. And I knew I’d do it again, whatever it took, to keep my son safe and happy.
