|| KNOX's POV ||

I was seething. The frustration bubbled inside me, barely contained, as I watched my son, Alex, sitting silently at the dining table. He hardly ever spoke, and when he did, it was like pulling teeth. I had lost track of how many times I'd tried to engage him in conversation, only to be met with silence. It was infuriating. I felt like a failure as a father, and the silence was a constant reminder of that failure.

"Alex, why won't you talk to me?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice calm but failing miserably. "What's wrong with you?"

Alex didn't even look up. His eyes...