After hanging up with Arthur, Andre sat in silence for a long moment, the faint hum of the air conditioner filling the room. His gaze drifted toward the business card Dr. Matt had left behind.
He picked it up, turning it between his fingers, as if the small piece of paper held an answer he hadn't realized he was looking for. Then, suddenly, a thought struck him.
Without hesitation, he dialed the number.
"Hello?" came Matt's voice on the other end.
"Yeah," Andre replied flatly. "The office you just left a while ago—come back."
Before Matt could respond, the line went dead.
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Yeah, come in," Andre said, not looking up from the file he was pretending to read.
The door opened slowly. "Um, sir… you called?" Matt's voice carried a trace of confusion as he stepped inside.
Andre finally looked up, folding his hands together and leaning back in his chair. "Yeah. I thought about what you said earlier… and I've decided to help you with that patient you mentioned."
Matt's eyes widened. "Really, sir? You—you've changed your mind?"
Andre gave a small nod, his face unreadable. "Yeah. So, give me the patient's file and leave the rest to me. I'll handle it."
Matt blinked in disbelief. "Oh—okay, sure. But, if I may ask… what made you change your mind?"
Andre tilted his head slightly, his tone calm but deliberate. "You said you'd help me, as long as I helped you. Right?"
Matt nodded slowly. "Yes… I did say that. So… what do you need me to do?"
Andre leaned forward, studying him for a long moment before speaking. "Have you ever taken care of a child? Maybe four or five years old?"
Matt hesitated. "Uh… yeah, I've taken care of my sister's son before. Why?"
Andre gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Good. Then this should be easy for you."
He reached for a notepad and began to scribble something down. "I'm going to give you an address. You'll go there and take care of a child—for me."
Matt froze, stunned. "Sir… what?"
Andre tore the paper from the pad and slid it across the desk. "You help me with this, and I'll take care of your patient. Deal?"
Matt stared at the paper, his mouth slightly open, torn between confusion and reluctant agreement.
The office was silent again, except for the faint ticking of the clock — the sound of two uneasy men making a quiet exchange neither fully understood.