She could tell that he was trying to break her down. And it was working. She couldn't let him know that, though. She couldn't let him win.
"I've done a lot of great things since I left Team Rocket," she informed him. "If I was still working for you, I never would have gotten 8 gym badges. I wouldn't be a regular challenger of the Pokemon League."
She began to reach for her bad to show him her badge collection, but ultimately decided against it. He would probably remind her of her first time challenging the Viridian Gym, back when he was the gym leader. The most humiliating defeat she had ever faced, even now.
"Yes, I did run away," she continued, "but would you have let me walk up to you and say to your face that I was leaving?"