No eSIM iPhone already purchased - my options?

Hi everyone. My recent iPhone business is a full-blown circus with ponies and I need some help. The eSIM module on my iPhone 14 Pro stopped working and I needed to replace the whole back of the phone.

On a whim, while transferring in Hong Kong airport, I decided to purchase a new iPhone 16 Pro instead of fixing my older one. I specifically asked the store rep if there were any country-specific features added or missing or if the phone was exactly like one from Europe/US. They said the phone was identical to a US one.

Guess what. My phone does not have an eSIM module at all and has a double physical SIM slot instead. I now have two iPhones that have no eSIM 😃

Any advice for what can be done? Is it possible to replace the module at the Apple Store or like in somebody’s shed? Jailbreak? Can it ever work or do I need a new phone? Hong Kong has strictly no return policies for Apple products. (how convenient for the store that misled me) Do I go to court? Is crying at HK Apple Store an option? Can flying back to HK yield any results or should I look for 3rd party repair works instead?