He abused me, why is he trying so hard to get me back now?

In this day and age women can get jobs and there are Government departments to help abused women. So they aren't a dime a dozen like the old days when a woman needed a man to pay her way or she'd starve. He can't find someone to abuse, so he knows you took it once and possibly will again. It is a challenge for him to get you back in spite of everything, so that's why he is trying. Take his advice and stop talking to him. You might hear that he has someone else and he's treating her great, but it will only be a short time before he starts abusing her too. If she stays with him for 10 years, you'll think he's treating her OK, otherwise why would she stay, but some women's self esteem is so low they just stay out of apathy and depression.