Hello everyone. Another long awaited chapter is here. I hope you will like it:-)

Dedicating to mariasuzanne – thank you for still reading even after a year :-))  

Chapter 38

"Eva. Wake up." I heard Amelias worried voice when I was gaining consciousness.

"Oh my God. Should we call ambulance?" I heared Emma's panicked voice.

"No. Don't." I said opening my eyes. I was lying on the sofa. I had no idea how did I get there. Amelia and Emma were standing above me worriedly looking at me.

"Go get her some water." Amelia said to the manager.

"How are you feeling?" Amelia asked me when I slowly sit up. She sat next to me holding my hand.

"Just my head is spinning a little bit." I replied.

"We should take you to the hospital." Emma said when the manager brought a glass of water for me.

"Thank you." I said taking the glass and sipping the water. "I am fine." I replied.

"You clearly are not when you passed out." Amelia argued.

"I am just tired. I had a really busy week and my body just didn't stand it anymore." I said. They were looking at me with disapproval.

"I am fine. Really. Remember I am a doctor?" I said when I started to feel better. "I just need a really good nap that is all." I said standing up. Amelia held my back worriedly.

"Are you sure?" she asked me.

"I am." I replied showing a weak smile to her.

"Okay. You will go home and I will make sure you go straight to bed." Amelia said to me. I smiled at her motherly request.

"Yes ma'm." I replied. "Could you please don't say anything to Henry. I already had a lot of preaching from him about my work schedule the whole week." I pleased Emma. She looked at me with uncertainty.

"But you will have to promise me you will relax a bit and if something like this happens again you will go to a doctor." She said after a while of thinking.

"I promise."I replied.

When we left the boutique Amelia got me home and she made sure I went straight to bed as she said she would. I was really glad she was so caring and she reminded me my mom. Gosh how much I miss her. But now Amelia is doing everything what my mom would do if she was here and I am really thankfull for that. I have a feeling she really enjoys stepping into her shoes. I am sure my mom would do the same for James if it was vice versa.

I couldn't believe I actually slept twelve hours straight. I was really full of energy after that and I took my brother for almost eight hour tour of the city. Henry was doing some official appereance with Emma in Edinburgh but they came back on Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday afternoon Gael went to James's house to get ready for the ball and David and Oscar drove me to the Kensington palace where Emma was waiting for me with her team of stylists. It was seven o'clock when they were done with us and we were finally ready for the evening.

"Oh my god you look amazing. Henry's jaw will drop when he sees you." Emma said when we were ready to go downstairs where Henry was already waiting for us.

"Ah thank you." I replied nervously looking at myself in the mirror. It was so unusual to be so dressed up. I almost didn't recognized myself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful and the stylists did a great job with the make up and hair.

"Let's go. Your prince is waiting." Emma said and I laughed at the irony. I do have my own prince charming. How lucky I am.

I walked down the stairs of Emmas Palace apartment. Henry was waiting for me right at the end of it. I was looking at him while I was walking down the stairs. His eyes were glued at me. He looked so sexy in his tuxedo and bowtie I couldn't take my eyes off him and I thought my knees will fail me. He offered me a hand when I was on the last step. His eyes were sparkling as he was looking me around.

"You look..." he said and paused. Smile suddenly appeared on his face. He took a deep breath. "You look stunning." He finally said and he slowly leaned to me and his soft lips slightly kissed mine when he leaned back and again looked at me. "You are so beautiful." He said and then he pressed his lips on mine more urgently.

"You also look good yourself." I said when I broke our kiss and he laughed.

"Yes yes. You both look like from front page of Vogue but I think we should go or we will be late." Emma said as she was waiting for us. I completely forgot we were not alone.

"Since when are you so punctual? You are always late." Henry asked her teasingly and she gave him a death glare.

"Ha ha very funny. You know what they say. Princess is never late, everyone is simply early." She said and I laughed.

"Hmm. Isn't that from some kind of movie?" I asked her.

"No I don't think so." She replied and went out of the door. I shook my head and we followed her outside.

Emma was riding in a car infront of us and me and Henry were taking a ride by David and Oscar in another car. We were also accompanied by another two SUV cars and two police motorbikes infront of our escort. It felt surreal when we were driving through the London streets accompanied by the sound of sirens.

"I am sorry. But when we are going on some official appereance we have to have this heavy security." Henry explained to me when we were driving.

"I am just surprised. I didn't know it will be this big." I replied and he smiled at me. He took my hand into his and he lifted it to his lips and gently kissed it.

"Don't be nervous." He said when he felt my hand was trembling.

"I just don't want to embarrass you or my family." I said and he laughed full heartedly.

"You are unbelievable." He said and I frowned at him. Why is he laughing at me?

"You are amazing and stop being so critical of yourself." He said smiling at me lovingly and leaned down to kiss me.

I saw crowds of people standing outside when we were coming to some huge historical mansion. It turned out to be a luxurious hotel where the charity ball was taking the place. When we stopped I saw throught the window red carpet leading to the entrance of the hotel. This was official charity ball which meant the press was allowed in and the photographers were waiting on the sides of the red carpet. I saw Emma making a walk through the carpet as the photographers were yelling at her to pose and she generously did what they asked her with a nice smile. Our car moved a few meters and stopped again.

"Are you ready?" Henry asked me and I nervously nodded. He opened the door and stepped on the carpet. He turned back and helped me out of the car. Suddenly I heard more yelling and clicking and flashes from the cameras were going crazy. Henry was holding my hand and I was so happy he was here with me right now as his presence was keeping me a bit calmer. I looked at his face and he gave me a reassuring smile. He was leading me to the entrance but we stopped right at the middle of the carpet.

"We have to pose for them." He said when he leaned to my ear and his arm was wrapped around my lower back. I looked at him but he was already looking into the flashing cameras. The lights were mirroring in his beautiful blue eyes. I looked at the cameras and tried to shyly smile. They were yelling our names to look to the right or to look to the left which in the end was very overwhelming. When we were finally inside I took out a breath I didn't even knew I was holding.

"You were great." Henry said to me kissing my forehead.

A hostess greeted us and then she was leading us to our table in a big dancing hall. The hall was beautifully arranged into white and blue colours. There were probably fifty round tables and almost all of them were already occupied which meant we were coming probabely last. I noticed people were starring at us as we were making our way to our table.

"Here is your table. Enjoy your evening." The hostess said to us bowed to Henry and left.

"Oh finally. What took you so long?" Gael asked us from our table. He was already sitting there with James and Emma.

"Sorry. There were a lot of photographers who wanted a pictures." Henry answered as we sat down.

"You look great hermanita." Gael said to me smiling.

"You don't look bad either hermano. I don't remember if I ever saw you wearing a tux." I replied and he proudly caressed his bowtie and winked at Emma.

"I know I look like Bond." He said and we laughed.

"Oh my God there is two of them." Emma said bitterly looking at Gael and then at James which made me laugh even more. Well they have similar behavior for sure.

"So you already met my brother." I said and she nodded.

"By the way I hope you feel better." she asked me and I gave her a death glare. She promised not to tell anything about my moment of weakness and Henry was sitting right next to me. I saw as his expression changed as he frowned at her question.

"I am fine." I replied dryly. I saw Henry was about to ask something when he was interrupted by James.

"Sorry." Emma mouthed to me when I looked at her questionably.

"Where is Amelia and Adele?" I asked James.

"They are already coming." He said looking behind me.

"I am so glad you came." Adele said to me when she came to our table right after James answered me. She hugged me and sat down next to me.

"Welcome." Robert said to us as him and Amelia accompanied us.

"You came just in time. It is already starting." Amelia said excitedly from her chair as the lights got darker and the host appeared on the stage. He talked about the reason why we were all here tonight and introduced us the program for the evening. Then his monologue was followed by a short performance of dancing kids and then there was a dinner served. During the dinner we all were chatting and laughing and I felt so content spending this evening with my family. After the dinner I excused myself to go to ladies room. When I was washing my hands in the fanciest ladies room I have ever been I heard someone to enter.

"Well, well, well. The Britains sweatheart Eva Cruz." I heard someone bitterly saying and looked into the mirror above the sink to see who it is. I recognized Henry's ex Cheryl Hemmington. I turned around to face her. She was wearing really thight red dress and her blonde hair were loosely curled. She was a bit taller then me when she came closer to me.

"So we meet at last." She said and was observing me from head to toe.

"It appears so." I replied while she was throwing a daggers with her stare at me.

"You think you have won Henry over and getting the public to your side?" she laughed and I looked at her confused.

"I didn't know there was some competition." I replied and she looked at me arrogantly.

"You are standing in my way. Everyone knows Henry and I are meant to be together." She said and for the first time I had to laugh.

"I am sorry but I think you already blew your chance with him." I said to her and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"The King will never allow for you two to go any further then this at your relationship." She said and I smiled at her crossing my hands on my chest.

"How so?" I asked her curiously and she smiled.

"You are nobody." She said and took a step closer to the mirror as she took out a lipstick from her purse. "You may be a doctor and play on peoples hearts but I know the King prefers higher class families." She said as she spread the lipstick on her lips and then looked at me. "He would better see his son with someone from well reputated and high class family or from prime ministers family in any cost." She pointed at herself.

"Or someone like Cunninghams?" I said and she laughed looking with pitty at me.

"Well they are on the same league as the Royal family but they have only a male heir. You know you should cherish this night to be sitting at the same table with the two most powerful families in Britain." She laughed and I shook my head in the absurdity of her words.

"But I am sorry Cinderella, your midnight is coming." She said to me.

I looked at her surprised and I laughed.

"I really don't know in what reality you live in but if you really think that you have at least a slight chance with Henry after what you have done to him than I am really sorry for you." I said and continued. "And maybe you just don't know the King as good as you think. And you certainly don't know me so if I were you, I wouldn't be coming into some conclusions." I said to her.

"Well, we will see who will win." She said, winked at me and walked passed me out of the ladies room.

"Here you are." Emma said as she walked in after a few seconds Cheryl left. "I was worried if you are alright after what happened on Friday." She said.

"Don't worry. I am fine." I replied.

"I saw Cheryl coming out. Did she said something to you?" she asked me.

"She actually did." I said and she looked at me nervously.

"I am guessing she was a total bitch to you." She said.

"Something like that." I replied.

"Don't worry. She acts like that to everyone. I hope you showed her some." She asked me. "I am not that type of person." I answered. "You are right. Let's go. There is going to be an auction." She said and we went back together to the table. I noticed Cheryl was actually sitting two tables from us and she was starring at me with a smug face.

We were watching the auction. There were some interesting things for bitting and it looked like there will be a great amount of money raised thanks to this. Also there was a hat circling through the tables where we could drop our donation checks. It was athefirst time I actually used my new checkbook from my new bank account. When the auction ended Adele went on stage to make a speech.

"Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen." She started smiling at the guests. "I am really happy that so many of you accepted the invitation to this evening and you honored us with your presence. I am really thankfull for all your donations for all those unfortunate families out there battling cancer. You all know this disease made a part in my families lives too because of my husband who lost his fight with it." She said sadly and I saw a tear glister in her eye. "So we know how tough battle this families are fighting. But we were privileged to have enough money for all the medication and care which these families don't have. But thanks to you and your generousity they will." She said and people started to clap.

"Our family decided to build an oncological wing for British Royal Hospital." She continued but she was cut with another round of applause. She smiled. "We decided to do this in a loving memory of my late husband Charles and we wanted to name it after him." She said and paused for a while. "But after latest revelations of a tragical death of my daughter Elisabeth..." She said sadly and paused for a while. I felt my heart getting thighter and Henry squeezed my hand. There was a sudden murmer at the hall from all the guests as nobody knew that my mom was dead. "We decided to name it Charles & Elisabeth Memorial Oncological Centre." She said and I felt a tear escape from my eyes. I saw Adeles eyes were also full of tears. "I hope my daughter Elisabeth who's job was actually saving people would be proud of this." She said. "I hope at least as much as she would be proud of her children Gabriel for being a great young man and Eva who is continuing at her legacy at saving young lives." She said pointing with her hand at Gael and me proudly. The people around were now louder and they were all starring at our table. Gael was smiling as Amelia hugged him and Henry caressed my hand. Now it was out. Everyone knows I am a daughter of Elisabeth Cunningham.

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