When Love Beckons

Claires heart raced as she stood in the Cullen mansion, her wedding day having come and gone without a ceremony or even a glimpse of her groom. Yet, she couldnt help but feel a sense of relief; she had finally escaped the suffocating confines of the Randall Family estate.

The door to the bridal chamber swung open, and Edward Cullen, seated in a wheelchair, surveyed her with a detached gaze. "Name?" he asked.

"I... I dont have one," Claire stammered. The Randalls had never given her a name, only a derogatory nickname that she couldnt bring herself to utter.

A sneer twisted Edwards features. He had agreed to this marriage as a means to appease his stepmother, never expecting the Randalls to send someone so... unimpressive. He dismissed her with a cold哼, and his butler, who was pushing his wheelchair, stepped forward. "Miss Randall, Im afraid you dont meet Mr. Cullens standards. You should leave."

Panic seized Claire, and she dropped to her knees, crawling to Edwards feet and begging desperately, "Please, I can do anything. Please let me stay."

Dignity and self-worth were luxuries she could ill afford; survival was all that mattered. If she were sent back to the Randalls, she knew they would show her no mercy.

Edwards eyes narrowed as he watched her forehead bleed from the force of her pleas. There was something intriguing about this woman, someone who seemed to belong in the murky waters of the Cullen Family.

"From now on, youll be Claire Randall," he decreed, and she followed him nervously, hoping she had succeeded.

The main house of the Cullen estate revealed a young, elegant woman, Eleanor Oliphant, sitting in the parlor with a calculating stare. "The tea ceremony," she commanded coldly.

Claire dutifully completed the ritual, and Eleanor handed her a small box with a smirk. Inside, Claire found a roll of trash bags.

"Miss Randall, I heard your nickname was trash. I thought youd appreciate this gift," Eleanor said, her voice dripping with malice.

Claires face paled momentarily, but she quickly masked her reaction. Edward watched the exchange with amusement, seemingly detached from the humiliation being inflicted upon her.

Eleanor, surprised by Claires thick skin, gestured to a small bowl on the floor. "I heard youre accustomed to eating like an animal. Ive prepared this for you," she said, her voice laced with contempt.

Claires hand tensed on the back of the chair, but she moved aside expressionlessly, recalling the "dog bowl" she had used back at the Randalls.

Eleanor seethed internally, but before she could retaliate, Edward excused himself, leaving Claire alone with his stepmother.

"Miss Randall, now that youve paid your respects to me, you should also show some consideration to the two who came before you," Eleanor said, leading Claire to a small door in the backyard.

Inside the dimly lit room, two large glass jars contained the bloated bodies of two women. Claires scream echoed through the house as she fell to the floor, her face inches from the decaying visage of one of the corpses.

Eleanors voice followed her as she fled. "Theyve been lonely here for a long time. Wont you keep them company?"

Claire stumbled into Edwards room, pleading for his help. "Edward, please, please save me. I dont want to end up like them."

Edward looked down at her, his expression one of disgust. "Why should I save you?" he asked coldly.

Claire froze, realizing the truth in his words. As she hesitated, he ordered her out of his room.

She found solace in a small storage room, hugging her knees as she sat in the corner. The closed space helped her think clearly. She couldnt go back to the Randalls; she had to find a way to please Edward.

In the middle of the night, Claire, unable to sleep, went down the stairs for a glass of water. She heard noises coming from Edwards room and quietly opened the door, which was slightly ajar. Inside, she saw Eleanor, dressed in a provocative nightgown, trying to seduce Edward.

Eleanors voice was sultry as she whispered, "Edward, is your new wife more entertaining than me?"

Edward, despite the intoxicating scent filling the room, maintained his composure and forcefully removed Eleanors hand from his body. "Dont test my limits," he warned.

Eleanor glanced at him, her desire mixing with anger, before she left the room, muttering under her breath.

Claire hid in the shadows, avoiding detection. She realized that Eleanors animosity stemmed from her twisted affection for her stepson.

As she returned to her room, she recalled the unusual sweetness in the air and realized it might be her chance. She approached Edwards door again, and as she entered, unaware that he was watching her, he allowed her to make her move.

Claire awkwardly mimicked Eleanors earlier actions, her inexperience reigniting Edwards desire. He took control, pulling her onto him and commanding her to move.

In her shock, Claire hesitated, but Edwards instructions were clear. "Do it yourself."

Her face flushed with embarrassment, Claire complied, her actions driven by the need to secure her place in the Cullen Family.