Chapter 323 Just Us, in Our Private Hot Spring
Chapter 323 Just Us, in Our Private Hot Spring
To her surprise, Seth bore a faint resemblance to the mother of the woman Amelia used to be. As for Amelia herself, she took after her father, Robert.
Robert didn't have many genuine virtues, but he was devastatingly handsome, and his genes were strongly dominant when it came to appearance. Amelia and her five brothers had all inherited his striking features.
Though Amelia didn't resemble her mother, this Seth—especially the shape of his eyes and the intensity of his expression—looked about seventy to eighty percent like Rupert.
The realization made Amelia's brow furrow slightly.
Logically, in a world with billions of people, occasional resemblances weren't unusual. Plenty of ordinary people were dead ringers for famous actors.
But Amelia's instincts had always been razor-sharp.
A man from Border Ridge City who bore a striking resemblance to Rupert—could Seth somehow be connected to her mother?
Her movements stilled. She lifted her gaze to Orval. "Orval, can I ask you something?"
"Hmm?" Orval noticed the shift in Amelia's demeanor, the sudden gravity in her expression. He straightened in his seat, turning to face her fully. "What is it?"
"That man, Seth. You said he's from Border Ridge City. Do you know his parents' names? Or anything about his family?"
From the passenger seat, Michael's eyes flickered with interest at Amelia's unexpected inquiry about the man they'd just met, her questions probing into his family background. But he remained silent.
Orval had no idea why Amelia was asking about Seth's parents, but he answered readily enough. "You mean Seth? Don't let the cop thing fool you. His family background is anything but ordinary."
He leaned forward slightly. "Have you heard of the Lowe family?"
Amelia paused. "The Lowe family?"
"Yeah. One of the most influential families in Border Ridge City." Orval's tone carried a note of respect. "The Lowes built their fortune on pharmaceuticals back in the late nineties. Aurora Pharmaceuticals—you know, the one based in Celestria? That's theirs. Market cap nearing a hundred billion dollars."
"So Seth's basically a trust fund kid. I've rarely seen someone from that kind of money become a detective. He's nothing like the usual spoiled brats in Border Ridge City's elite circles—he actually believes in justice."
Orval continued, "I know Seth because my father and his father go way back. I know some things about his parents and family, but not everything."
"What I do know is that his father's name is Kurt Lowe. He's the current chairman of Aurora Pharmaceuticals. Seth has an older brother who's a lawyer, and a younger brother studying at Aurora College. Their biological mother died over twenty years ago.
"After she died, his father remarried. The new wife gave him a daughter who's in high school at Border Ridge City First High now. Then she had twin boys—they're only ten.
"As for other family members, I'm not really in the loop."
The name Kurt Lowe meant nothing to Amelia.
"Do you know what his deceased mother's name was?" she asked.
"That I don't know. I'd never ask someone about something that personal." Orval shook his head before continuing. "But one time when we were drinking, Seth mentioned how his mother died."
Amelia's breath caught. "How she died? You mean..."
"Seth's mother died in an accident. According to him, she was killed by his own aunt."
Seeing the flash of shock cross Amelia's face, Orval elaborated. "I don't know all the details. From what he told me, it happened one night about twenty years ago. His aunt and his mother got into some kind of argument."
"In a fit of rage, his aunt shoved his mother into the street. A car came barreling through at exactly that moment and ran right over her. Her bones were crushed, her body mangled. She died on impact."
The words alone were enough to send ice through anyone's veins.
"That's all I know." Orval studied her, curiosity plain on his face. "But Amelia, why are you asking about Seth's parents and family?"
"It's nothing." Amelia hesitated for just a beat. "Just curious."
From what she'd heard, Seth didn't seem to have any direct connection to her mother after all.
So Amelia let the matter drop.
Someone else, however, had filed every word away for later.
Amelia and her group arrived at their destination first.
Once Dorian and Asher caught up, all five of them headed into the hot spring resort together.
Before soaking, they naturally had to change into appropriate attire.
Since none of them had come prepared, they purchased swimwear directly from the resort's shop.
Amelia selected a simple white two-piece. The top was a halter-style bikini with delicate strings tied in a bow at the chest, revealing her elegant collarbones and flat stomach. The bottoms were high-waisted with decorative ties at the hips, making her legs look impossibly long and lean.
Dorian's choice radiated youthful charm—a black tankini-style one-piece with an oversized pink bow at the chest, playful and sweet.
The men had already changed and were waiting outside.
As Amelia and Dorian emerged, Michael couldn’t take his eyes off Amelia, and Asher was equally captivated by Dorian.
Only Orval looked vaguely uncomfortable, unsure where to direct his attention, already regretting his decision to come.
He'd thought this would be a casual hangout with friends. Instead, he'd walked straight into what felt like a double date.
If he'd known the redheaded guy and Dorian were a couple, he never would have agreed to be the awkward fifth wheel.
The hot spring resort offered both indoor and outdoor facilities.
But rain had been falling steadily during their drive over, turning the outdoor pools into surfaces dimpled by rain. They'd have to stick with the indoor options.
The indoor section was divided into three main areas: specialty pools, family pools, and therapeutic pools.
The specialty pools featured unique water compositions and atmospheres—mineral-rich healing baths and untreated natural spring pools.
The family area catered to parents with children, offering shallow wading pools and infinity-edge pools where kids could splash around safely.
The therapeutic section provided the widest variety: high-temperature mineral springs, aromatherapy pools, bubble jets, massage pools—each designed to melt away stress and tension.
Orval had clearly come for the authentic hot spring experience. He made a beeline for one of his preferred mineral pools and sank into the steaming water without ceremony.
Dorian's eyes lit up when she spotted a romantically lit pool adorned with carved decorative elements and soft ambient lighting. She headed straight for it, with Asher following close behind.
The two of them settled into the water, immediately launching into their usual playful bickering, their laughter and splashing echoing through the indoor space.
Amelia took her time surveying the options, searching for the perfect pool to help Michael truly unwind and decompress.
But then Michael's tall frame materialized behind her, his long, powerful arms sliding around her waist.
His lips grazed the pale curve of her neck, his breath hot against her skin, his voice dropping to a lower, rougher register than usual, laced with suggestion and temptation. "Baby... how about we find a private couples' pool? Just the two of us?"