JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<table border="1" class='rel'>
    <tr>
        <td><div class='abs'>row 1, cell 1</div></td>
        <td>row 1, cell 2</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>row 2, cell 1</td>
        <td>row 2, cell 2</td>
    </tr>
</table>

CSS

* { margin: 0; padding: 0; }

.rel { 
    position: relative; 
}

.abs { 
    position: absolute;
    background-color: red;
    top: 1px;  /* offset because of table border */
    left: 1px;
}