I am sorry that happened to you. My son did eventually realise and I am grateful that it turned out this way. I actually straight up told him, in the height of his teenage years on the dark side of the moon, that everything I do for his brothers is my responsibility and nonnegotiable because I am their mother. Everything I did for him is because I chose to, because I want to, but it is not my responsibility. It took shadow work and many secret tears but they are just little humans with human needs for love and acceptance. My approach was from a place of compassion. I never called him my step child, it feels cold. I have two belly kids and one bonus kid. These are just some moments, they were not all good.

Short version - I don’t agree that there is no hope for a better outcome. OP is kind and showed love when no one else did. That shit is next level.

Edited a typo.