Victoria watches her brother, George, as he whispers into Cal's ear. Seeing an unfamiliar bearded man with pearl-white hair standing in their bedroom sends an immediate surge of chilling ripples across Victoria's skin. Her veins throb with an unsettling weight—as if her nerves are on the verge of bursting.

"Erm... I'll go now," Victoria said as she rose from the bed.

Cal's neck tensed with shock when he saw Victoria leaving her bed. "You're going where?" he asked, slightly nervous.

"Oh, uhh..." Victoria stepped back, keeping her eyes locked on Cal and her siblings. "Uhm..."

Suddenly, Albert sprang forward, racing towards the bedroom door with a massive grin. "I'll tell the others that Santa Claus is here!"

Cal's eyes widened, and his voice trembled. "Wait!"

     Albert hurriedly reached the door, swinging it open. He bolted into the corridor, filling the air with his laughter as he bounced along. Racing down the hallway, his feet dashed across the creaking wooden floor, the sound muffled by the soft landing of his stockings on the carpet.

     Victoria raises an eyebrow, her lips tightening at the back of her face. She keeps her gaze fixed on Cal and her siblings, moving in a steady, unhurried pace towards the door. With a final glance, she turns her back and begins strutting along the hallway, following in Albert's footsteps.

"Uh... uhh!" Cal's gaze darted in every direction as sweat trickled down his forehead. Panic-stricken anxiety surged through his body, gushing along his blood.

"...That's all!" George beamed with satisfaction, having completed his whispered wish.

"A-ha! Wish granted!" Cal lifted George and gently set him down on the floor. "Now, who's next?"

     Cal glanced at the remaining children in the room, anticipating their turn. Without giving them a chance to raise their hands, he swiftly picked up Jean and settled him onto his lap. Cal's breath quickened like the rapid flutter of a sparrow's wings.

"Tell me what you want," Cal commanded, feeling the mounting stress around his head. "Quickly," he urged.

Jean's face beamed, his wide grin stretching across his entire jawline. His lips swiftly reached Cal's ear, and he whispered in a faint but eager voice.

     Meanwhile, Edgar strides down the hallway, his hair catching glimmers of golden light from the flickering candles. His smile stretches from ear to ear as he hums, resting his hands on his back. The corridor remains silent, filled only with Edgar's soft, steady footsteps.

     As Edgar approaches the right corner, a sudden giggle reaches his ears. In an unexpected encounter, Edgar stumbles upon Albert, and Albert crashes face-first into Edgar's legs, startling them both. Edgar freezes in surprise, gasping at the sudden impact.

"Oop!—" Edgar gasped and stepped back.

"Ehe! Uncle! Uncle!" Albert bounced excitedly, raising his hands in the air.

"What's with the big grin, Albert Junior?" Edgar smirked, watching Albert enthusiastically jump up and down.

"Santa! Santa Claus is here! Santa Claus is here!" Albert cheered.

Edgar felt a foreboding presence wrapping around him. Raising an eyebrow, he asked curiously, "...Santa...? What... does he look like?"

"Oh! Oh! White hair! Beard!" Albert described between jumps.

"Mhm..." Edgar mused, placing a finger under his lip. "What else...?"

"Hmm..." Albert added. "He has a black coat and blue eyes!"

"B-black coat and blue eyes!?" Edgar gasped, his shoulders burdened with an invisible boulder.

"Yes!" Albert ran past Edgar and continued sprinting down the corridor.

     Edgar turned on his heels, watching Albert sprint down the hallway. He had every intention of following Albert to inquire further. However, despite his desire to move, Edgar found his feet rooted to the spot, his breath trembling with unease.

     Edgar's mind wandered in a whirlwind of thoughts until he suddenly recalled the other children. With a loud gasp, he spun around swiftly. Edgar hurryingly veered into the right hallway, only to stumble upon Victoria.

"Ow!" Edgar and Victoria slammed against each other, their bodies jolting upon impact.

"Oh! Sorry!" Victoria quickly apologised.

Edgar, still recovering from the collision, hurriedly addressed Victoria. "Oh, Victoria," he panted, his words rushing out. "Uh... uhm! Your brother, Albert, uh. He told me something about Santa Claus. Is it true Santa Claus is here?"

"...Uhm, yeah," Victoria replied. "But, it's strange that Santa arrived too early. And he is also giving me the creeps."

"Wait, he's here!?" Edgar's jaw quivered.

"Yeah, he's in our bedroom," Victoria nodded.

"Uh!" Edgar quickly pointed behind him. "Go downstairs. Now! Call your father!"

Victoria, though confused by the urgency, trusted Edgar's instincts. Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted down the halls.

     Panicked, Edgar sprints down the hallway, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as his strides propel him forward. He rushes feverishly across the corridor until his eyes catch sight of the children's bedroom door, left wide open. Edgar bursts through the door, his heart menacingly close to slipping through his ribs at the scene that greets him; a stranger sits by the window, accompanied by the children. Edgar's jaw drops, and his eyes widen in disbelief and concern.

     Cal's breath catches in his throat, and his eyes widen as he spots Edgar standing in the doorway. The room falls into a tense silence as the two men lock eyes, grappling with uncertainty and the weight of unspoken questions. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, George, and Jean remain blissfully unaware of the lingering past. Their smiles remain radiant and unblemished, enveloping their faces with innocent joy.

Edgar drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs. "O-Oliver!!" he yelled.

     Edgar's voice reverberated through the mansion, bouncing off the walls and filling every corner. His frantic yell pierced through the air, carrying his urgency to every floor and room within the grand estate. Downstairs, Oliver, Frederick, and their companions conversed, unaware of the impending events, until Edgar's deafening call reached their ears, causing them to gasp in shock.

     Oliver's eyes widened, and without wasting a single moment, he swiftly abandoned the dining room and rushed towards the lobby. His feet moved faster than his thumping heart, his steps hastening as the others followed closely behind. His palms grew slippery and sweaty, his heart fervently praying for the absence of danger.

     The piercing yell of his companion sent Oliver's heart into overdrive, pounding against his chest as adrenaline hastened through his veins. At that moment, there was no room for contemplation—his mind focused solely on the need to run. Igniting with a burst of energy, Oliver dashed up the steep staircase.

     Oliver hurryingly turned to the right and sprinted across the seemingly endless corridor, his feet barely touching the ground. As he surged forward, he ran past his other son, Albert, who stood momentarily stunned by the commotion around him. Behind Oliver, his companions followed suit, their hurried footsteps resounding through the halls, hurtling themselves forward without a moment's pause.

In the hallway, Victoria caught sight of Oliver running forward. "Father!" she called out.

Oliver's focus remained steadfast as he hurried past Victoria. "Stay here!" he said, running around his daughter.

     Oliver and the others swiftly pass by Victoria. Without breaking stride, Oliver continues his rapid sprint down the hallway. He then takes a sharp turn to the right, his teeth clenching tightly, mirroring the tightness of his clenched fist. As he pushes himself to the limit, air forcefully escapes his mouth in huffs.

Edgar's voice continued to reverberate through the air. "K-kids! Get away from that man!" he shouted, pointing directly at Cal.

In response to Edgar's alarming words, Elizabeth shrieked.

     Elizabeth and George let out high-pitched squeals, their tiny voices filled with fright, as they hurriedly scampered towards Edgar. Seeking safety, the two children sought refuge behind their uncle's protective frame. Trembling with fear, their feet seemed momentarily glued to the floor as their wide eyes glistened with tears, mirroring the depth of their horror.

"Jean! Come here!" Elizabeth screamed.

     Cal swiftly seizes Jean, clutching the boy firmly around his waist. Carrying Jean in his arms, he stands up and deftly manoeuvres through the window. Quickly, Cal rushes to the roof's edge, glancing down at the ground below while firmly holding onto Jean.

"Jean!" Edgar's voice rang out as his eyes widened.

     Oliver crashes through the door, bursting into the room, and stumbles upon Edgar, Elizabeth, and George in the doorway. Scanning the scene, Oliver's eyes swiftly shift towards the window, where he can see the cold wind gently swaying the curtains. Through the window frame, his gaze locks on Cal with his son, Jean, in his hands.

     Dread washes over Oliver, causing the world around him to lose significance. His eyes remain unflinching, refusing to blink, as fear tightens its grip on him, overwhelming his senses. Everything around Oliver begins to dissolve, drifting into a dark, meaningless void.