Chapter 496: Long Overdue
The doctors didn’t stay long. Once they finished examining Tommy and confirmed that his condition had improved, they left the room.
Tommy had already shown signs of regaining consciousness before Liza arrived. At one point, he had opened his eyes but remained unresponsive.
Once the doctors were gone, Liza nodded at Nolan.
Nolan smiled back at her before bending down beside Primo.
"Young Master, how about you help me with the food I prepared?"
Primo nodded without hesitation, understanding that the adults needed to speak privately. Before leaving, he turned toward Tommy and Liza and waved.
Tommy let out a weak chuckle as Nolan took Primo’s hand and led him away.
Once the door closed behind them, Tommy turned his attention to Liza and Julio. His wife sat beside him while Julio remained standing nearby.
"It’s good to see you again, Julio," Tommy said with a faint smile. "What are you doing here?"
Julio frowned deeply. "Is that really surprising? My friend was shot in the chest."
"Hah... fair enough." Tommy nodded before releasing a shallow breath. "Did Dominion find out who was behind it?"
"It was Marshal," Julio answered without hesitation.
"Julio," Liza called gently, though the firmness in her expression served as a warning. "That was never confirmed."
Julio snorted. "Isn’t that why everyone in Dominion is running around like their pants are on fire? Whoever is behind this must be someone close to them. Otherwise, they would have stayed for the funeral."
"Funeral?" Tommy groaned as he reached for his injured shoulder. "What funeral?"
"It’s nothing," Liza quickly insisted. "Tom, you just woke up. I don’t think you should be discussing any of this right now."
"Liz." He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I’m sorry."
Liza pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes reddening with frustration and concern.
However, she knew her husband better than anyone. Tommy could be bleeding to death one day and insist on walking around the next as though nothing had happened.
Tommy sighed before turning back to Julio.
"What funeral?" he asked. "Mine?"
As far as Tommy knew, he was very much alive.
Unless all of this was a dream.
But the pain radiating through his chest and shoulder with every slight movement should have been more than enough to wake him if it were.
"The little dragon of Dominion believed that as long as you were alive, someone would eventually come back to finish the job," Julio explained, keeping his answer as brief and straightforward as Tommy preferred. "He was right. Someone came here to kill you, so we made it appear that they succeeded."
Julio shrugged. "And since you’re officially dead, we had to go through everything that follows the morgue."
Tommy nodded slowly. "I see."
"Tom." Julio stepped forward before casting a cautious glance at Liza.
"For Pete’s sake, Julio." Liza scoffed. "Tom and I have been married for decades. Whatever you’re about to tell him isn’t going to surprise me."
Tommy chuckled. "She’s right. There’s no need to send my wife out of the room."
"My apologies." Julio shrugged. "Old habits."
Liza briefly glared at him but didn’t take it to heart.
Being married to Tommy meant living with countless secrets. Those secrets had caused more misunderstandings between them than she cared to remember.
It didn’t help that Julio had never liked her.
Although Liza could safely say that her feelings toward Julio were equally complicated, they had learned to tolerate each other over the years.
"I didn’t mention this earlier because I knew you probably couldn’t care less," Julio began as he handed Tommy his phone. "But a few nights ago, several Di Carpio operations were attacked."
Julio continued explaining while Tommy read through the intelligence reports on the screen.
"Five of their major distribution warehouses were destroyed, along with the training grounds for their private army," Julio added. "The timing coincides with little Lucian’s departure."
It was easy to credit Lucian for the attacks because he held greater authority within Dominion.
Moreover, the operation had been carried out on such a massive scale that no one would believe only a handful of people were responsible.
Liza furrowed her brows and turned toward Julio.
"Is that why you’re so certain the Di Carpios were behind the attack on Tommy?"
Julio merely shrugged.
Tommy continued skimming the reports before placing the phone down. He leaned back against the headboard and glanced at Liza before meeting Julio’s gaze.
"Tommy." Liza gently shook his arm. "Please say something. I don’t like it when you become this quiet."
Especially with news like this hanging over them. Her heart felt as though it might leap straight out of her chest.
Tommy pressed his lips together and squeezed her hand.
"I know it was Marshal," he finally said, causing her brows to draw together. "We made contact with him, and then this attack happened. Anyone who knows him would recognize the pattern."
Marshal had always been predictable in that regard.
The man had a particular way of retaliating—one that those familiar with him would immediately recognize.
"I thought he had become smarter," Tommy continued. "After all these years—decades, even—I thought he might have changed. I thought age would have made him wiser."
He looked toward Julio.
"But I was wrong. The Marshal Di Carpio I know is the same Marshal I’ve known all my life."
The Di Carpio organization might have grown larger and more powerful, but Marshal remained the same foolish man who had once been part of Tommy’s life.
There were others Tommy had once considered enemies. After retiring, they hadn’t necessarily forgiven one another. They had simply agreed to leave the past where it belonged and enjoy whatever years they had left.
But Marshal?
That fool hadn’t changed at all.
If anything, he had only become worse.
"Julio," Tommy called again, his voice now carrying unmistakable finality. "Summon everyone."
"Tommy..." Liza murmured.
However, he kept his gaze fixed on Julio.
"While I was unconscious, I kept hearing the voice of a boy speaking to me," he continued. "If it wasn’t the devil, then perhaps it was an angel."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Either way, that voice made me realize something. None of this will end until I put an end to it myself."
Slowly, Tommy turned toward his wife.
"I thought I had closed this Chapter of my life when I let Marshal live and conceded to him," he said. "But I was wrong."
He offered her a subtle, reassuring smile before returning his attention to Julio.
"This isn’t Lucian’s problem, nor is it Ashley’s," he declared. "It’s mine."
Tommy gave Julio a firm nod.
"This reckoning is long overdue. Either Marshal dies, or I do." His eyes hardened. "There is no middle ground."
The corners of Julio’s mouth curled into a satisfied smile.
"Finally." He nodded approvingly. "The men are ready. If anything, they’ve been waiting for this. When do you plan to move?"
Tommy didn’t hesitate.
"Tonight."