Yes, it would be a mistake to think that anything this one does has anything else than self-serving purposes.
It's all about ego and an agenda. I even told him once, he goes observing weaknesses and using people and moving them like pawns on a chess game. Thank you for the reassurance Dimndaruf. I also noticed some gaslighting.
Two other coworkers have warned me too, that know him in different contexts, so I need to listen.
I am struggling a bit with accepting the new dynamics. He wanted to have dinner yesterday and it was his idea, then he cancelled because he had a "family reunion"....