You have that particular friend, brother, cousin, and even your own father who presents a carefully crafted image of being perfect, loyal, supportive, and always positive. You see them being respectful to everyone they meet and interact with. This makes them come across as individuals with good character. I believe healthy male competition can strengthen the relationship. However, you will find that some male covert narcissists demonstrate this in a dysfunctional fashion.
They use subtle digs about your personality, the clothes you wear, and the decisions you make, particularly regarding your job title or career. They do this out of insecurity and fear. A lot of males who are covert narcissists feel inadequate as men and intimidated that another man is showing more bravery and authenticity. They are envious that you’re true to yourself and don’t put up a ‘front’. This is why they scapegoat you and make it look like there is something wrong with you. They do it so subtly that it can take years to discover. Unless you strengthen your boundaries and lower your tolerance for any sort of disrespect, you will see it become more obvious. Over time, you notice a pattern in their behavior. When you begin to change, especially for the better, they seem to get worse and more passive-aggressive. Many of them are very weak men and subtly try to portray a cool, macho image. Even then, they don’t make it so obvious because they care about what people think.
My advice is to cut them off immediately. In the past, I would have let the friendship or interaction with another male family member drag on. Over time, you realize it was better to cut ties early on. The signs of envy were always there from the beginning.
Son in the Shadows: "Navigating Life as the Black Sheep of Narcissistic Parents" 