Inside, the rapid click-clack of a mechanical keyboard echoed in the quiet space.

It was too fast, too frantic to be a routine administrative task.

I peered through the gap.

A figure in a dark, tailored suit stood over the antique mahogany desk.

The blue light from the terminal screen illuminated a sharp, familiar profile.

It was Arthur Vance, the royal family’s senior legal advisor.

His fingers flew across the keys, his forehead slick with sweat.

On the screen, a progress bar showed a system purge at forty percent.

“Vance,” Alexander breathed next to my ear.

I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling him to stay silent.

I watched Vance’s movements, analyzing his posture and looking for weapons.

He had a black leather briefcase open on the chair next to him.

A silver external drive was plugged into the terminal, its blue LED light flashing rapidly.

He wasn’t just deleting the records; he was downloading the master encrypted files before wiping the server.

“This goes far beyond Rachel,” I whispered to Alexander.

“She was the distraction,” Alexander whispered back, his voice cracking. “The wedding was the cover to transfer the trust assets.”