The doctor glanced at him over the rim of the file in his hands, one brow lifting slightly.
"Oh?" he said mildly. "You're requesting confidentiality?"
"Yes," Fred replied without hesitation. His voice was steady, but his fingers curled tightly into the thin hospital sheet. "Please."
The doctor offered a small, professional smile and gave a short nod.
"As you wish. Doctor–patient confidentiality is something we take very seriously here. Whatever we discuss in this room remains between us."
He opened the file fully and began flipping through the pages with careful attention, the faint rustle of paper filling the sterile silence of the ward.
After a moment, he paused.
"It's actually good news," the doctor said at last, and though his tone remained composed, there was a subtle hint of relief beneath it.
"Good news?" Fred echoed, raising an eyebrow. His heart pounded violently against his ribs. "What kind of good news, Doctor?"
