Ugh ugh ugh. Bleah!
It's like someone condensed Nice Guy Syndrome into a weaponized aerosol and shot it into my sinus cavities.
If you are in love with someone who doesn't love you back, then either MAKE A MOVE or GET YOUR OWN. Moping around lamenting being stuck in "the Friend Zone" and making up elaborate stories about "Ladder Theory" and telling yourself that women are just mysterious creatures who are attracted to jerks and it's so unfair is complete and utter BS. This story made me actually angry. (That is, my blood pressure and heart rate are slightly elevated right now, perhaps the equivalent of walking briskly for a few minutes.) The character in this story not only fails to grow as a person, but actually regresses; he cuts himself out of the loop and actively LOOKS for excuses not to speak up, all the way up to creating a perfect rival that he never has to feel bad about not measuring up to. He's built this little ego-cushioning cocoon centered on his chosen identity as a doormat and refuses to let it go at any cost. If he took an actual risk, he might lose, so he handicaps himself to make sure he has no chance of winning and then expects pity.
It's not charming that he built the perfect man out of himself. If he doesn't feel good enough, then he needs to change his MIND or change the things he doesn't like about HIMSELF. Both options are available, and both can be done in a healthy manner. Yes, if the object of your affection has found someone else and is happy, then the correct and polite thing is to quietly excuse yourself and not pursue a relationship with them. If they are empty and hurting, handing them a placebo is the action of a self-absorbed twatwaffle of the first degree.
I used to handicap myself. I used to not even try, to sit back and let things happen and tell myself that it was better that way. I'm still trying to overcome that. This story, instead, glorifies it and holds it up as the ultimate in altruism.
Bull-effing-crap.
(Frankly, anyone who would be happy and fulfilled in a relationship with a brainwashed sycophant programmed to love you eternally is not worthy of anyone's respect or admiration, but that's really a separate issue.)