Meaning of the Ending (Spoilers)

Are we to assume that Tom's big character growth by the end of the film is that he is finally able to break from the people who don't appreciate all he does for them?

Tom spends the movie navigating the corrupt politics and criminal underworld of the city just to do right by either Verna or Leo.

He protects Leo at any length, even destroying his friendship with Leo and defecting to the enemy to do it. And Leo only realizes it at the very end, but that doesn't stop him from marrying Verna anyway. And he risked everything to spare Bernie from murder in the forest for Verna's sake and for the fact that he didn't have the capability to commit such murder.

But after all he has to deal with, he's had it for good. He ties up all the loose ends, including getting rid of Bernie. Leo and Verna are safe. And at the end of it all, Tom's gained nothing for himself. Just like Bernie said, it gained Tom nothing to do what he did by the end. It alienated him from Verna for good.

So by the end, he's stopped chasing his hat. He's caught it, he's wearing it all his own. He's no longer playing advisor or second to someone who doesn't value his advice. He's his own man, even if it means he's alone.