Only through experience does one truly understand which wound smarts the most. After disrupting Edward Cullens wedding, Claire Randall returned directly to the house they once shared. As she pushed open the door, a gust of dust assaulted her senses, causing her to cough violently. The furnishings within were unchanged, and it seemed no one had set foot in the place since she left.
Coughing, she felt tears welling up. In the dimly lit, dust-covered space, a sense of belonging enveloped her. This was Claires home, her sanctuary after decades of drifting through life with only her own strength to rely on. It was Edward who had given her this place—a home where she could wake without the urgency to flee, sleep without the fear of being startled, and be unafraid of the demons in her dreams or the harshness of the world outside.
Her eyes gradually clouded over with a film of desolation. If Edward couldnt forgive her and took back this home, where would she go then?
...
Claire was jolted awake by an intense feeling of suffocation. Exhausted, she had dozed off on the sofa without realizing it. In her daze, she saw a tall figure looming over her, and then her throat constricted.
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at the person who was desperately choking her. "What... are you doing?" she gasped.
Edwards eyes were bloodshot as he tightened his grip on her neck. "You wicked woman, Ill strangle you!" The ferocity in his gaze startled Claire. She was all too familiar with that look from her life of turmoil and bloodshed. Edward was entertaining the thought of killing her.
A surge of sorrow welled up in her, and for a moment, she lost the will to fight for her life. Starving for oxygen, her body trembled, and she forgot to struggle. She stared blankly at the man before her, tears streaming down her face unexpectedly—warm, hot, and falling one by one onto Edwards hands.
His expression changed, and his grip loosened slightly. Claire took the opportunity to gasp for air, her trembling body gradually calming down. Edward flung her to the floor.
She landed heavily, the thud echoing with a dull pain. A cloud of dust rose, muddying the light in the air. Her eyes stung from the dust, and she felt the urge to cry again. Over the past five years, she had withstood countless bullets and blocked numerous blades, yet she had never shed a tear—not even once had she felt the inclination to cry. But in less than a day since seeing Edward again, she had already cried more than she had in the past five years.
"Are you trying to play the victim now?" His expression was a mix of scorn and anger.
Claire wiped her tears haphazardly, her voice hoarse. "I dont understand what you mean!"
"Humph! What do I mean?" Edwards murderous intent gradually coalesced again. "What about the good youve done to Elizabeth, arent you clear about that?"
"What are you talking about? What have I done to her?" Claire frowned, annoyed.
Smack!
A crisp slap resonated as Claires head was slapped to the side, a metallic taste rising in her throat.
"I dont care what youre back for," Edward inhaled deeply, seemingly suppressing his rage. "If you dare to harm a single hair of Elizabeths, Ill flay your entire scalp."
He enunciated each word with emphasis, as if chewing on her bones and blood.
Claire let out a mirthless smile, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Do you know how high my bounty is? Shes not even qualified for me to take action!"
"Shes the one I love!" Edward interrupted her furiously. "I wont allow her to have any accidents!"
"After you forced Elizabeth to run away from the wedding, do you know what she went through?" Edward gripped Claires arms tightly, as if to break her. "She was bullied by a group of thugs on the street..."
His voice was filled with self-reproach, guilt, and resentment towards Claire.
Claire struggled to break free from his grip. "You should go after those thugs and maybe train your men who cant even catch a woman!"
"It wouldnt have happened if it werent for you," Edward tightened his grip even more, blaming her for everything.
"Youre being unreasonable!" She let him hold her, hiding the hurt in her eyes deep within.
Suddenly, Edward released her, a cold smile playing on his lips. "You made Elizabeth sad, and I wont let you off easy either..."
He approached her step by step, then pushed her to the floor.