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.