CHAPTER 27: MATERNAL IMPULSE

{Forget Rowe—the Real Star of the Plaza Video Is the Girl with the Cat

While much of the spotlight is on Cassian Rowe, another narrative has stolen people’s hearts: the young woman seen holding a small kitten during the near-accident. Witnesses claim she was cradling the animal so protectively even while nearly being run down.

Clips circulating on Instagram and Twitter show the woman clutching the tiny cat to her chest, shielding it with her body as she’s yanked away at the last second. "That’s not just bravery—that’s queen behavior," one user tweeted, a sentiment now echoed across hundreds of reposts.

The internet has already crowned her "#KittenSavior" and praised her as "the girl who’d die for a cat." Memes range from heartfelt posts about protecting pets to lighthearted edits comparing her to action heroes.

She remains unidentified for now, but it hasn’t stopped the internet from falling in love with her bravery and compassion.}

Comment Section:

@urbanpulse: "All jokes aside, does anyone know if the police are releasing a statement? That guy drove straight into the crosswalk, people could’ve died."

  ↳ @coffeeandclaws: "Yeah, why is no one talking about the actual driver??"

  ↳ @streetlens: "Exactly—funny memes aside, this is a legit public safety matter."

  ↳ @kittendreams: "I mean, I just wanna know the cat’s okay."

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{Cassian Rowe: From Red Carpet to Real-Life Heroics?

Earlier today, blurry fan footage captured what looks to be singer and rookie actor Cassian Rowe rushing into a city plaza crosswalk to pull a young woman (and, strangely enough, her kitten) out of the path of an oncoming car. While details are still scarce, multiple angles shared online show Rowe’s distinctive hoodie and profile, leading fans to insist it was him.

The internet has since dubbed him the "Plaza Hero," with hashtags like #RoweSaves and #CassianTheHero climbing up the trending charts. Reels and edits of him supposedly reaching for the woman’s arm have already gained millions of views, even though none of the official news outlets have confirmed the story yet.

The footage has sparked heated debate: was it pure coincidence, or did the singer just happen to be in the right place at the right time? For now, one thing’s certain—this is the kind of publicity his PR team couldn’t buy if they tried and Rowe’s fans are proudly circulating every pixelated zoom-in they can find.}

Comment Section:

@filmnerd92: "Cool and all, but is anyone asking what happened to the driver? Authorities better not sweep this under the rug."

↳ @hannahwrites: "Exactly! We keep hyping Rowe but the guy behind the wheel nearly hit two people.

↳ @celebwatcher_: "It’s true, this is clearly a public incident now. We should be hearing a statement."

↳ @blueskyrant: "Tbh police statements take time, stop expecting insta-updates."

↳ @MariposaL: "No, @filmnerd92 is right. This isn’t just fan gossip anymore—it’s a public safety issue."

Sitting sideways with her legs crossed, Seliora rested her curved elbow against the couch. She finished reading the first post and, as she swiped to the next one, asked,

"When exactly did the incident happen?"

They were in the second-floor living room. Across the hall was the room where Seliora had spent the entire afternoon in a meeting, which she had only wrapped up an hour ago before dining here. Eric had come afterward to report the incident concerning Erisia.

"This afternoon, between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.," Eric replied, standing a few feet away with his hands clasped in front of him.

"And why are you only telling me now?" Seliora’s eyes stayed on the screen as she skimmed the article and its comments.

"You were in an important meeting, and you instructed us not to disturb you during those times. I apologize."

"Mm." She didn’t look up, replaying the clear CCTV footage again.

Switching off the tablet, she tossed it onto the couch beside her. "It hasn’t even been a week, and she’s already gained traction on the internet again—this time for an entirely different reason." Seliora chuckled softly. "She’s versatile, a fighter. Even knowing she had almost no chance of dodging the car, she still ran. Her gamble paid off, because luck favored her. And the way she shielded the cat—I like her even more for that."

Tilting her head, Seliora reflected on everything Eric had told her before, along with the things the fake daughter had said before falling into the pool. When she added today’s incident to the picture, she realized the truth: a strong, almost maternal impulse toward Erisia had settled in her heart. She wanted to know more about the girl, to protect her. It was no longer possible to remain neutral.

"I didn’t want to meddle in their affairs, but it seems I won’t be able to avoid it anymore." She looked up at Eric. "Someone wants her dead, and I’m certain that fake daughter is involved. Find out who sent the driver, and collect every scrap of proof you can."

She paused, then sighed. "I also need information on her life before she returned to the Wrenfords—and on the fake daughter as well. But be precise. For the fake daughter, start from the moment Erisia arrived back at the Wrenfords. I don’t want a generic background check; I want everything from that point onward."

Eric bowed his head. "Yes, Ma’am. I’ll see to it."

Seliora’s gaze hardened. Fools like this disgusted her the most.

Vicious people, she thought, were predictable. They bit at others, caused chaos, stirred up trouble—but at least one could see them coming. It was the hypocrites, the pretenders, who truly sickened her: people like Sierra. All venom and envy, yet wrapped in the flimsy disguise of innocence. Silly little tyrants who thought themselves clever because they could lie and play the victim, when in truth their malice was transparent to anyone with eyes. To Seliora, such people were beneath contempt—dangerous enough to ruin lives with petty cruelty, yet laughable in how small their schemes really were.

She wanted evidence of every claim the fake daughter had made at the birthday party. If proof existed, she could extend a helping hand to someone who truly needed it.

Just as Eric left and Seliora rose from the couch, smoothing down the folds of her dress, her thoughts shifted to the hospital. She hadn’t visited Kealith today because the day had consumed her with endless meetings. She had just reached for her coat when her phone buzzed on the coffee table.

Glancing at the screen, she saw the name flashing across it: Roy.

If Roy was calling at this hour, it was bound to be important.

She pressed the phone to her ear. Before she could say a word, his voice rushed through the line, tight with urgency and threaded with disbelief.

"Ma’am! Sir Kealith woke up. He woke up a few seconds ago and the doctors are currently checking on him."

Seliora froze mid-step, the calm on her face faltering. Her fingers tightened around the phone.

"...He woke up?" she repeated slowly, as if weighing each word, testing it.

"Yes, Ma’am. It happened all of a sudden. He stirred, opened his eyes—he’s conscious. The doctors are confirming his responsiveness, but he’s awake."

For a beat, silence filled the room. Then, with a deep breath, Seliora’s composure returned, a wide smile on her face. "Keep the doctors updated and don’t let any unnecessary visitors near his room. I’ll be there immediately."

She ended the call without another word, her heart pounding in a rhythm she hadn’t felt since Kealith’s surgery.