Wait is the author trying to make us sympathize with him???

No, I think the writer is trying to show the mind bending a narcissist goes through. Even though the author showed him "helping" his "friend" they also showed him ignoring the fact that he was ruining his wife's credit. The same wife he just found out couldn't have kids because of stress. People who are sympathizing and saying he was originally good are misunderstanding the point of the chapters