I (60m) know that title probably caught a lot of you but it really isn't what it seems
This entire situation has been agonizing for me, both physically and mentally. I don't even know where to start, I guess I'll try and be as succinct as possible so as to not bore anyone with the details
So I've been married for 2 years to my wife Jen (58F), with whom I am raising her son (16M) with. Man, words can't describe how much I love that kid. I treat him fully as my own. He's such a nice boy, and I'm proud to say he gets on with me very well
I also have two children from a previous marriage (30M and 27F) from my now ex wife (60F). Long story short, I've cut my bio son (30M) and daughter (27F) out of my will. They are to inherit nothing.
I run a rather successful business and own a few houses which are worth a lot. I had always intended to pass that on to them. The business to my son and the houses split between my son and daughter. I know it's a bit morbid, because there's nothing really wrong with me health wise, but I've always been open with that to them. To be honest, they both had a spoiled upbringing so they had a head start in life. Which is the complete opposite of how I grew up
Now if we wind the clocks back some 5 or so years ago, I was married to my now ex-wife. We had been married for 35 years! We did have our ups and downs, like any other marriage, but there was never any infidelity or anything.
Well long story short, I ended up coming home to find her in bed with another man. Of all the ways to find out your spouse is cheating on you, that was the one I did not expect. Not because of how disrespectful it was, because at that point, respect is out the window. But because of how stupid it was.. I did a lot of late work at my office during that time, but surely they weren't that stupid? At that moment I was seething in rage and had to restrain myself from beating the shit out of that guy
I ended up divorcing her and keeping my distance from her. I needed a lot of therapy and support to get through that. My relationship with my bio kids was still great and they understood what I was going through, or so I thought
It was only recently that when I went for a drink with my daughter, that she was all of a sudden quiet and not like her usual self. I asked her what was wrong and she said she was scared to tell me. I calmly re-assured her that everything would be okay. She then proceeded to spill her guts and say that she and her brother knew about their mother's affair but that their mother had begged them not to tell me that they knew. My son ended up agreeing with his mother and convinced my daughter that this would be best
So they knew their mother was having an affair but were afraid to tell me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I asked her wasn't she and her brother angry at what their mother had done, and she said she was, but that they ''couldn't cope with this'' and that ''it wasn't their place'' to get involved. Well by not telling me, they had involved themselves
I later had to confront my son over this. He hit me with the ''it was to protect you'' shtick. At that point I felt very empty and cold inside. He began apologizing too but by that point, I think I had enough
I had come to terms with the fact that my bio kids are fully grown adults now and that this is how they've chosen to be. I'm not going to fully go no contact with my own kids, I can't bring myself to do that. But I don't want much of a relationship with them either. I had a sit down with them both and informed them that I'd cut them out of my will, and that step son would be inheriting much of what they were going to get
This lead them to have outbursts of which I myself didn't even experience when I caught their mother cheating. They accused me of being heartless and cruel, and how can I love my stepson more than them when ''he's not even really my kid''. I told them both ''he's more of my own than either of you'' and left
My stepson is very bright and I am sure he could one day take over my business. He could pick any of the houses I own to raise his family with too, and do what he wants with the rest of the properties. My ex has been sending me messages calling me heartless too. I have to admit, I have thought whether I went too far on this. AITAH?