Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie: THE FINAL BETRAYAL

AS THE LAST OF HIS SIX CHILDREN WITH ANGELINA REACH ADULTHOOD, BRAD FACES THE REAL COST OF A DECADE OF HEARTBREAK AND UNCERTAIN HOPE.

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BRAD PITT sounded like a man who'd finally built the life he'd always wanted.

Nearly 10 years after divorcing first wife Jennifer Aniston, 57, and just months after marrying Angelina Jolie, he gushed about his bride and their six children in the November 2014 issue of Psychologies magazine. “You learn to value the basic beauty of family, of watching your children grow and evolve. It’s the most beautiful thing you can experience,” he said. “I feel like the richest man alive since I’ve become a father.”

Less than two years later, that dream unraveled. An alcohol-fueled argument aboard a private plane led Angelina, 51, to file for divorce, setting off a bitter fight over the kids Brad, 62, had called “an essential part of my life.” Now, as their youngest children — twins Knox and Vivienne — turn 18 on July 12, comes an emotional end to the almost decade-long custody battle that has defined Brad and Angelina’s lives since their explosive 2016 split. “This is the ultimate nightmare for Brad,” a source tells Star. “From his perspective he went from having the most beautiful, happy family to being totally disowned and left to rot.”

Brad initially believed getting sober after the breakup, committing himself to therapy and pursuing joint custody would eventually help repair the damage. (He denied all allegations of abuse; an investigation resulted in no charges.) “He tried so hard to win them back, or at least keep a relationship going with them,” says the source. “But ultimately, it’s all been to no avail.” Instead, one by one, his children turned. A final blow: Five have now publicly or legally dropped “Pitt” from their names. “They clearly want little or nothing to do with him,” says the source, adding that it’s been “a heartbreaking betrayal” for the F1 star.