The Contract Marriage

Samantha immediately looked at her daughter reproachfully. "You are also joking with your mother, right?"
Sarah laughed mischievously and hugged her mother's arm coquettishly, "Mom, I don't dare! I just feel that Stephen's grandpa is
a good person. You said that you can live alone, but I'm not at ease. Uncle isn't at ease either. Christian’s father's relationship
with our family started when I was very young. You have a common language with him. If you really get along with him. . . I think
you'll definitely be happier than now! "
Samantha heard her daughter's words and shook her head. "You'd better stop! I will not agree to this matter! Ethan is a good
person, but he is your father's best friend. Besides, I am already so old. What is the point of remarrying? If our neighbors know
about this, they would definitely think that I'm too indecent. I don't want them to poke my spine. Don't mention this anymore in the
future!"
To her, at this age, she no longer thought about other things. She only hoped that her daughter would live a happy life. Then she
would be content.
"Our neighborhood also has one! I remember you telling me before the New Year that Auntie Taylor married another retired
worker. And you also said that she is living a good life last time.”
If you enter the Cooper Family, you will be even better than her. Of course, I don't need to talk about Christian. You watched
Julian grow up. He has become better now. If you go. . . It will make him very happy to have such a big family every day. You can
see Stephen every day. No matter which way you looked at it, there were only benefits and no disadvantages to it! Don't always
be in a hurry to refuse. Can you think about it first?" Sarah tried to pursue softly.
Samantha listened to her daughter's words and thought for a while. Then she nodded. "Okay, I understand. . ." After saying that,
she lowered her head and went to play with her grandson.
Sarah looked at her mother's expression and knew that this matter still needed to be considered and did not continue to speak.
The lunch was very good. Christian's cooking naturally could not be described.
After lunch, Stephen fell asleep in Sarah's arms. Because he was going to the army early in the morning the next day, after
lunch, Christian brought Sarah and Stephen back to the villa.

On the way back, Christian looked at Sarah as he drove and asked, "Did you talk to Mom?"
Sarah nodded. "Yes! But I didn't succeed. . . " After saying that, she let out a light sigh.
Christian smiled and said, "Don't worry! It will succeed! Didn't you say that everything will be difficult at the beginning? Don't
worry. Once my father takes action, he will definitely succeed."
"Sigh, I really hope that my mom agrees. That way, I won't have to run between both sides. I don't have to worry about anything
happening to her either."
Christian lightly patted Sarah's hand and looked in front of him and said, "Don't worry. She will be fine."
Sarah nodded and did not say anything else.
The atmosphere in Cooper Family had been very good these two days.
The case was getting clearer and clearer. Although Greta had not been caught, it was only a matter of time. Thinking about how
the bad guys were finally going to be punished, everyone in Cooper Family was very happy.
During dinner, Old Master Cooper looked the whole family sitting on the round dinning table and said with emotion, "I always
thought that Ethan's health wasn't good, that’s why he fell sick. Now I know it was all because of Vivian! Fortunately, Ethan was
lucky. That was why he escaped the doors of death! If we didn't find out, we would still be in the dark."
Ethan nodded and sighed heavily. "Sigh. Back then, I shouldn't have agreed to let her marry into the Cooper Family. It was also
because I thought of the child in her womb at that time. For a moment, my heart softened and I agreed to her marriage with
Julian. But I never thought that compromise would almost take my life! This person. . ."
After saying that, he couldn't help but shake his head.
His father's words made Julian feel ashamed. "Dad, this is all my fault! I shouldn't have liked her back then! If I hadn't married
her, so many things wouldn't have happened. Sigh, if my mother knew that all these things were done by Vivian, she would

definitely be furious. Back then, my mom was so good to her. . ."
Old Master Cooper listened to Julian's words and took over the words with a solemn expression. "When Julian said so, I
suddenly have a thought. . ."
The whole family looked at the old man. Ethan looked at his father and asked, "Dad, what do you think?"
Old Master Cooper slowly said, "I am thinking. . . So many things happened in our family in the past few months. Do you think
Daphne accidentally fell down the stairs at that time was also related to Vivian?"
This sentence shocked everyone!
There was suddenly silence at the dining table.
Julian suddenly slammed the table and said hatefully, "With that woman's ruthlessness, she could definitely do such a thing.
Perhaps my mother's death really has something to do with her!"
Christian frowned. He looked at Sarah beside him and asked, "When Aunt Daphne died, did you call the police?"
Sarah nodded. "Yes! At that time, although we did not think about anything else, we still called the police. The police also came
to investigate the scene, but they did not say that it was a murder. They only said that it was an accident."
"Was Vivian at home that night?"
"Yes. She went upstairs after dinner, but we didn't see her come down."
Christian nodded. "Based on what she did in our house, Aunt Daphne's death might have something to do with her. Dad, how
about this, I'll call Chief Warren tonight. I think since we called the police back then, the police must have a file. But I have to
report to the army tomorrow. I can't delay any longer."
After saying that, he looked at Julian opposite him. "Julian, I'll give you the phone number of the captain of the criminal police. If
there's anything, I'll ask him to look for you directly."

"Okay, Big Brother. If this matter is also related to Vivian, then this woman's heart is too ruthless." When Julian mentioned Vivian,
his teeth itched with hatred.
Christian thought for a moment and then looked at Sarah beside him and asked, "Oh right, who saw Aunt Daphne fall on the
ground first?"
Old Master Cooper took over the conversation. "It was Mrs. Garcia. She woke up the earliest every day."
Christian immediately asked the housekeeper to call Mrs. Garcia over. After a while, Mrs. Garcia walked into the restaurant.
Christian looked at Mrs. Garcia and asked, “Mrs. Garcia, do you remember the day Aunt Daphne died?"
Mrs. Garcia immediately nodded when she heard that. "Yes!"
"Then do you remember that when you walked out of the room, were the lights in the living room and the stairs turned on?"
Mrs. Garcia stood where she was and thought for a while, then shook her head. "No. They were all turned off."
"Did you remember it clearly?"
"Yes." Mrs. Garcia nodded affirmatively.
Christian continued to ask, "Do you remember during that period of time, did the lights on the stairs break?"
"No, they are all fine."
Christian nodded and raised his hand slightly. Mrs. Garcia immediately understood and left.
Everyone looked at Christian, not understanding what he meant by asking Mrs. Garcia. Ethan looked at his son and asked in
confusion. "Christian, do you think there is anything suspicious?"

Christian's face sank. "It seems Aunt Daphne's death is very likely related to Vivian!"
"Big Brother, why do you say that? You can say for sure that the lights on the stairs were not turned on?" Julian stared at
Christian in shock.
Christian nodded. "Yes! If the lights on the stairs were on, I might not have doubted it. You can think about it. Aunt Daphne lives
on the second floor. If she goes downstairs and the lights on the stairs are not on, will she see through the darkness and walk
down?”
“The lights on the corridors can be turned on easily. Our family does not need to save money on electricity. Logically speaking,
as long as Aunt Daphne came out of the bedroom, whether it was the lights in the corridor or on the stairs, she should turn it on.”
“Moreover, the stairs from the second floor to the first floor were very high. If the lights were not turned on, it would definitely be
dangerous. Let me ask you, each and every one of us here, if you go down in the middle of the night, will you touch the handrails
of the stairs and come down?"
Ethan nodded in agreement. "Christian's analysis is correct! It seems that something that we do not know happened that night!"
Julian said angrily, "This evil woman! She is really heartless! At that time, I was only worried and sad, and I could not see with my
eyes. I didn't think too much about it. Today, I heard Big Brother mention it. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that it was
Vivian who did it! But Big Brother. . . It has been so long, and the stairs have been cleaned countless times. My mother has also
been buried and now there is no evidence. If Vivian doesn't admit it, what should we do?"
Christian nodded. "You said it right. But it is not impossible. As long as there is a little hope, we must do our best to investigate.
There must be something fishy about this matter. It definitely won't be as simple as it looks.”
“It's also my fault for being too careless when I came back and didn't bother to ask about these details." Christian said with a look
of regret.
Ethan heard Christian blame himself and comforted him, “At that time, the house was in chaos. Who could think of this? This is
not your fault."

"Yes! At that time, Ethan was lying in the hospital. Julian could not see, and the company was in a mess. Sarah still had to take
care of two newborn children. Besides, who would have thought that Vivian's heart would be so vicious?"
"Yes! Now we know everything. Sigh, Dad. I really let down my mother and our family!"
Julian thought how his mother died shedding cold blood, he felt an indescribable regret in his heart. If he had known that Vivian
was such a woman, no matter what, he would not marry her because of his momentary desire.
He did not expect his one wrong decision would take his mother’s life and almost destroyed his family.
Thinking about it, he was really ashamed!
Old Master Cooper looked at Julian and comforted him, "Julian, don't blame yourself too much. The matter has already
happened. We also have to think about the good side. Although Vivian is not a good person, don't we have Ruby now? There
are also two cute children."
After Old Master Cooper reminded this matter, it made everyone feel indescribably uncomfortable.
If Daphne really died by accident, everyone would feel a little better. Especially Julian. When he heard this shocking news, his
heart could not calm down at all. He didn't even eat much.
When he thought about his mother's death, he had no appetite at all. In the end, he only ate a little bit before returning to the
bedroom upstairs. He leaned against the bed and silently thought about everything.