I didn't understand this comment and I realized that I was missing some context. So I finished the article. Please know that I was not, in any way, trying to tell you that your father's apology is hollow and you should turn 180° and run. I was just venting and sharing my experience with my step father.
I don't know how to interpret your father's apology, but I do know how I would interpret my step father's (if he ever got around to giving one, he's a textbook narcissist). I'd never accept it because he will never truly feel sorry for his actions. He will apologize because he'll need something from me and this would be the only way to get it. Or to build his public image of being extremely pious, true, dedicated, sacrificing father. I will turn 180° and run.
I'm sorry but I couldn't finish the article. Every incident described in the article is so similar to my childhood, that I was becoming restless, agitated and getting tears of anger and frustration in my eyes frequently. Even as I'm writing this, I'm half crying because I'm revisiting my childhood memories. My step father was almost exactly like the one described in the article. Always yelling at me, hitting me, threatening to kill me, beat me, kick me out of the house, starve me, lock me in a room. He'd even tell me that he wished I'd die. And every time I protested, I'd get my teeth kicked in. And my mother was right there, watching. She didn't raise a finger to protect me. Sometimes she'd blame me for this, telling me that I make him angry and that's why he hits me. She was also abusive towards me. I didn't know what I had to do to keep her from getting angry at me and hitting me. My protests were also met with "You're ungrateful" or something similar as well. My step father would constantly make mistakes and then blame me when consequences hit him. And my mother would actually take his side. I clearly remember several instances where he gave me incorrect information by mistake and then blamed me for not doing what he asked properly. This would then lead to him calling me useless, a burden, leach etc.
But, thankfully, I got out. And I am never going back. The only person in my entire family that I trust is my eldest sister. She's the only reason I tolerate the rest (from far away). Otherwise I'd have left the country and cut all ties with them. All I needed to hear was "It's ok to go against the wishes of your parents". My counsellor told me that in the second of our 8 sessions when I voluntarily checked myself in a psychiatric hospital because I'd been depressed and suicidal for the last decade (since I was 14). I've never looked back since.
My childhood has left a massive imprint on my personality. I have severe trust issues, generalized anxiety, repressed emotions. But I can say with absolute certainty that my life has exponentially improved since I left my home behind.
I don't know how to interpret your father's apology, but I do know how I would interpret my step father's (if he ever got around to giving one, he's a textbook narcissist). I'd never accept it because he will never truly feel sorry for his actions. He will apologize because he'll need something from me and this would be the only way to get it. Or to build his public image of being extremely pious, true, dedicated, sacrificing father. I will turn 180° and run.