This was, without question, the worst Christmas Eve of Isabella’s life. Two years ago, she had packed her dreams into a suitcase and moved to London with her boyfriend, Austin. She had imagined a future filled with romance—quiet mornings over tea, walks along the Thames, and a love story that would last forever. But tonight, that illusion had shattered completely. When she returned home from work, exhausted yet carrying a small gift bag for him, she opened the bedroom door only to find Austin tangled in the sheets—with another woman. Her heart felt as though it had been ripped straight from her chest. She didn’t scream, didn’t fight; she simply walked away, her hands trembling, the sound of laughter and betrayal echoing behind her. By the time she reached the street, the magic of Christmas in London seemed cruel. Fairy lights shimmered along Oxford Street, casting a soft golden glow over the crowds of lovers and families huddled together against the cold. Their laughter floated through the frosty December air—a painful reminder of everything she had just lost. Isabella sat down on a cold, damp bench near the square, pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders. Her dark hair clung to her tear-streaked cheeks as her breath came out in uneven clouds. She felt small, invisible, and utterly alone among the sea of strangers celebrating the holiday. The scent of roasted chestnuts from a nearby vendor made her stomach twist—she hadn’t eaten all day, but her grief left no room for hunger. She stared blankly at the twinkling lights wrapped around the bare trees, her vision blurred by tears. The small gift bag she had bought for Austin still hung from her fingers—useless now, heavy with the weight of a love that no longer existed. For the first time since she had arrived in London, the city that once promised endless possibilities felt like the loneliest place on earth. So lost in her sorrow, Isabella didn’t notice the figure approaching, the careful sound of footsteps crunching on the thin layer of snow behind her. A tall man stopped just a few feet away, his presence quiet but undeniable. And then, in a voice warm enough to pierce the icy air, he spoke: "Did Santa forget to leave your present under the tree?"