You're the ONE I need
Sixteen

When they finally settled down on the sofa, he spoke in an apologetic tone.

"I'm sorry, I should have helped you in replaceing the truth, but instead I took advantage of your condition," he started. He holds her hand and gently rubs it.

"The day I found you lying unconscious on the beach, I had just arrived from Italy because I caught my fiancée in bed with my best friend.--- I was supposed to swim my anguish at the beach, but I found you, so we rushed you to the hospital. Rudy and Clara helped me look after you; I mean," he paused and exhaled.

"The couple helped me; they were bringing my things back and forth for the whole three months of your confinement at the hospital.

I am afraid to leave you there alone, especially when Dr. Huffman suspected that there was a chance that you had amnesia.

For three months I lived there with you at the hospital," he continued, but he paused for a while.

"We tried our very best to replace your family. I hired a detective to locate your family.

He went to check the manifesto of all the people boarded on that cruise.

All the names that were written there were claimed by their family.

Except for Clarissa Lizbeth Llanes. The name I gave you," he said.

Now she understands why Franco and Jean never try to replace her. That means she is dead to them.

They must have found Clarissa, who was wearing her ring.

And because of the ring that was on Clarissa's finger, her fiancé and best friend buried Clarissa, believing that she was her.

She became Clarissa for Leandro.

"I'm so sorry, Cara, "Leandro said.

"Don't feel sorry, Leandro; you did everything for my well-being. I don't blame you for what happened because you don't know," she replied. "Now that your memory's back, I'll arrange your transportation to get there to your place so that you know what really happened.

Why didn't they dig deeper into replaceing the truth about the body they found?

They concluded that it was you because of the ring they saw on her finger. They didn't try to have it autopsied," Leandro said.

He was right about the autopsy; they could have requested it before they jumped to conclusions.

It saddened her thinking about it.

"Thank you so much! I don't know what to do really; for eight months you have been by my side.

But I'm sorry that I have to leave you. I'm not your wife. I'm not Clarissa," she said.

She could feel his rigid voice when he spoke.

"You're my wife. I married you as a person, as you are you, not the name that was given to me. I can make it change into your name.

I could ask a lawyer to help me fix it. I married you as you because I really care about you, Cara."

She could feel every word that he said was true. She could sense the sincerity in his voice.

"Oh Leandro, I feel the same way. I owe you my life," she said, hugging him.

He cried on her shoulder, both of them.

After some time, he slowly let go of her and wiped her tears with his thumb.

"I'll replace Rudy so he will take you to the airport," he said, leaving her in the living room. She just nodded.

She actually has a second thought right now.

She is afraid of what she will discover when replaceing the truth.

But there were too many questions in her mind that she wanted answers to.

She went to their bedroom.

Yes, their bedroom, because she lives here with Leandro.

She doesn't know how long she stayed there.

This place has been her safe haven for five long months.

She only takes spare clothes.

Because she has clothes in their house, the house she and Jean live in.

When she came downstairs, Rudy was already waiting for her.

She hugged Leandro one last time before she went out the door.

"I will miss you," he whispered.

"Here," he said, handing her a phone.

"Your ticket is there. I have booked a ticket while you're upstairs," he said.

"Don't forget this," he gave her a wallet. She opened it and found a photo of them at their wedding.

She bit her lip trying not to shed a tear.

"Be careful. If you need me, just call me, okay?" he said and pulled her into his arms.

She nodded and turned around because she didn't want him to see that her tears were like rain right now.

While on their way to the airport, Rudy didn't speak. Maybe he wanted to give her a quiet moment so that she could think clearly.

She actually didn't notice that they had arrived.

Rudy wished her luck and also told her to be careful.

After she said thank you, she walked towards the entrance.

She asked the person at the entrance if the flight was boarding already.

The woman told her that she could get inside now so that she could get her boarding pass.

This was her first time traveling by plane. She was a bit anxious, but she tried to suppress it. She asked again which way she should go to get her boarding pass.

The woman accompanied her to the counter.

"Yes, Ma'am, do you have your ticket?" the woman asked her.

Luckily, the kind woman brought her to a counter where only a few people had lined up.

She opened her phone and showed the woman her ticket.

"Here's your boarding pass, ma'am," she said after a while, giving her the boarding pass. She read what was written on her boarding pass.

Llanes, Clarissa Lizbeth

While waiting for her flight, she checked her phone.

There is a message from Leandro.

He is so sweet.

Very caring.

There are many pictures too.

Their wedding at the beach.

She smiled, looking at how they fed each other with cake.

Her giggle didn't escape from an elderly woman seated next to her.

"Lovely photos," she commented.

"Yes," she replied, smiling at the woman, and showed her some of the photos.

The woman praised her husband; she said he is very handsome and a good man.

"How can you tell if he is a good man?" she asked.

"The way he looked at you, it's an indication that his love is pure.

If a man loves a woman, he will never hurt her," the woman replied.

She just nodded.

They stopped talking when they heard an announcement.

It is said that their flight is now ready for boarding.

For a while, she forgot the fear that engulfed her while she was on her way to the airport.

7----

Finally, the plane landed.

She couldn't wait to see Jean, her best friend.

She wanted to ask her why Franco never bothered to replace her.

When she arrived in their town she couldn't understand the reaction of every person who'd seen her.

When she asked the tricycle driver to take her to Jean's house he stared at her very long like he had seen a ghost.

"Kuya wag no along tinititigan ng ganyan na parang nakakita ka ng multo. (Brother don't stare at me like that, like you have seen a ghost.)" She said.

She's about to knock on the door of the house where she also lives with Jean.

She doesn't have a key.

She lost it when the ship sank.

"Ineng, wala ng nakatira dyan, lumipat na si Jean sa bahay ni Franco." Said the voice from behind.

She told her that Jean was already living with Franco.

She turned to face the person talking behind her.

She can't believe what she just heard.

This is why Franco didn't look for her?

When the woman saw her face she could see the shock in her eyes.

"Yane!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Ang akala namin patay ka na.," she is their neighbor.

She felt cold when the woman said that they thought that she was already dead.

"Lola Tenay, buhay po ako. Hawakan nyo po ako, totoo po ako hindi po aparisyon. (Grandma Tenay, I'm alive. Touch me, it's me I'm not an aparation)" She took the old woman's hand and held it in hers. The old woman cried.

The old woman invited her into their home only a few meters away.

Even the old woman's family was also shocked when they saw her.

She learned that all the people in their town thought that the woman they buried was her.

Because of the same feature as hers and the woman was wearing her engagement ring.

She told them that the woman they buried was the one she had met on the cruise.

And she let her try her ring, but the cruise was sinking.

That's why she never had a chance to take it back.

Now she understands why they didn't replace her.

It's because they thought Clarissa was her.

The old woman told her that Franco and Jean had just gotten married.

She was hurt.

She felt betrayed

No one has fault with the outcome of the tragedy.

Since it was already late to go to the cemetery, the old woman told her to stay at the house and go the next day.

She also invited her to stay for the night.

She woke up very early. When she went down, the old woman was already downstairs in the dining room having her coffee.

"Magandang umaga po Lola Tenay;(Good morning Grandma Tenay)" She greeted the old woman.

"Magandang umaga din syo Yane, nakatulog ka ba?(Good morning too Yane, have you slept?"

"Opo, mahimbing nga po ang tulog ko. Salamat po sa pagpapatuloy sa akin (Yes, I sleep well. Thank you for letting me stay." She replied. "Wala yun, magkape ka muna. (Have some coffee first before you go)."

"Punta ka na ba sa sementeryo (Are you going to the cemetery now?" The old woman asked.

"Opo, papalitan ko ang lapida ni Clarissa. (Yes, I will change Clarissa's tombstone.)" She replied

"Sabihan ko ang apo ko na ipag drive ka papunta doon. (I'll ask my grandson to ;drive you there.)" The old woman said.

"Wag na po Lola Tenay, kaya ko naman po pumunta mag isa. Maraming salamat po. (No need Grandma Tenay, I can go by myself. Thank you very much.)" She replied.

"Ikaw and bahala. (It's up to you)" replied the old woman.

After she finished her coffee, she went outside and hailed a motorcycle that would take her to the cemetery. Thanks to the old woman who gave her the information she needed, she could replace the grave immediately. When she reached the cemetery and paid her fare she went directly to the graveyard.

She felt compassion for the woman laid in there.

No one was even looking for her in that case.

She went to the shop who engraved the tombstone.

She asked to change the name of the grave to her name.

She wrote Clarissa Lizbeth Llanes, the correct name of the woman inside the tomb and not Lorianne Salvador.

She told the man it was a mistake.

She paid for the new tombstone and left.

Thanks to her spouse, who gave her more than enough money to use.

Her next destination.

Franco's house.

She knows that they will be surprised.