I think he try to change. He only awkward and because he doesn't know how to do it the correct way. He knew his mistakes and remember it all from his past life and want to make up for it. A change needs time he can not just miraculously change abruptly but at least he change bit by bit. It's understandable we hate his guts in his past life I also hate him but at least now he wanted to change it. While Ruve is different. He doesn't remember his past life and what he done is not a redemption of his past mistakes.
Right because of this ML character make this story drag on, not because there no communication both ML and FL but because ML didn’t even try to stop father in law both present and last life... he really useless Duke, he change a little no he just make him look great in front of his so call wifey but not main villain father in law... if you know the person who killed you in past life you can murder or prevent him to make him do it in both life while this ML just stood like dirty rag at this story and didn’t use his genius head to stop the father in law.... whitewashing is trend to make a man pitiful really need to stop, how disappointing while woman not really that pitiful just got pregnant, ignore, child got away and died and the fault one here is her dad and her husband is trauma how great story we got here *sip tea*
Of course if I was the FL I would really hate him so much. But the FL is rational. She still needs her duchess title to protect her son and herself. Without her title of duchess, she got no powerful background. And it is said in the last chapter ( forget which chapter), the Duke ignored his father in-law and he no more put up with his nonsense. He said that she is her wife and how he treated his wife is not the father in-law concern. I'm just trying to say his actions towards the father in-law change based on what I read so far. I didn't say we should forgive him easily. But still every person needs a chance to change and of course for a big horrible mistakes like he did he needs to prove his redemption hundreds time harder.
Finally someone who make sense(￣∇￣")
Euw now whitewashing ML begin with saying ML trauma I don’t understand why trauma from abuse childhood got personality of abuse person like you really a trash ML ever, well like Ruve from Abandoned Empress he also got insecurities by woman so maybe man just can’t handle they little brother and abuse woman and we have to forgive him because of trauma gahahaha that’s why this ML got that kind of fate. he a abuser and a bastard both in past life and present life he just totally useless he just let woman or FL in second life change while him just buy a ton of toys to make FL fall in love again and no plan to stop so called Father in Law villain