U keep forgetting that no matter your position your life is always at stake. He needed support to become a duke, if he were to lose that support then that means his position would be taken away from him. He was also young and he wanted to protect his wife but he didn't do it the right way.
There's also the part that if he doesn't consider cooperating, the people who works for him will die, if he gets contact with the FL, she will die due to the people that that bastard planted, we can't tell if its true or if its a sick bluff. So, in a way, he protected the FL but he himself is in a fucked up state of mind due to the events.
Bro..... Wtf... What's wrong with these MLs.....like Ik how u feel but bro? You couldn't even protect your wife when you're literally a Duke with the same amount of power?
I don't really feel like it's bad he's the ML, but still he needs to be reprimanded.... And the dad? The fucking dad is unbearable stenchy trash..... Should be killed ASAP for the sake of humanity