The unflappable lioness flinched over Mina's words. Perhaps they were a bit harsh to say, but Mina didn't want to speak much to someone who devoted their life to mocking her boyfriend and her.

Ashley pressed two fingers together, her eyes darted, avoiding Mina's gaze. She certainly looked more like a cowardly lion than the proud, beastly prosecutor ready to tear into any argument with ferocity and pride.

In fact, she was ready to swallow her pride.

"I...um...really appreciate what Blind and you did for me back there...with the sniper attack."

On that tragic day, Ashley had been shot through the legs by a jilted and lecherous admirer. She lay on the ground bleeding as people ran in every direction. But Blind, her ex fiance who was on the receiving end of her lashing tongue, grabbed her and Mina guided him through the parking lot to his limo. The lioness was "cat-atonic" at the time, but she was clearly lucid enough to realize what her adversaries had done for her.

"I admit..." Ashley said, looking down on the ground. "After everything I've said and done to you, you had no reason to save me....and..."

Warm tears welled up in her emerald eyes. "I'm...sorry. William, was blinded and killed because of me."

There was a grimace of pain on Mina's face.

This was true. All too true.

All of the pain that had happened to her boyfriend was because of this catty woman.

She might not have done anything personal to him...but she manifested all of this pain towards William. It took every inch of restraint in her arms, for Mina to avoid slapping her silly.

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Instead, she merely agreed. "I'd read you to filth, Ashley, but life already has."

Naturally, Ashley's face and cat gloves clenched up. Mina was expecting a cat claw across her face. Maybe she even deserved it. But instead, Ashley's fist fell flat.

"I agree. You have every right to be angry at me. Perhaps I need to take off from prosecution for a while. To look at my life. None of my book smarts come in handy in the world of emotional intelligence."

Mina wanted to sigh in relief. She had felled her adversary, or rather her own realization did. Mina glared at Ashley and continued to lash her. "You relied on academia for every move and now, you have gotten a D+ at life."

"More like an F-," Ashley said, "For a complete failure. I just know I'm going to think long and hard about my life."

Mina crossed her arms. "Good. That's all I have left to say to you, pussycat."

She turned to go.

It was nice to see Ashley humbled, but Mina still didn't want to be in her odious presence too long.

"Umm...Mina," Ashley squeaked, sounding more like a housecat. "I just wanted to say one last thing to you. It's about Blind and me. And our relationship..."

Mina raised and eyebrow. Turning her head ever so slightly.

"The real reason I held a grudge. The real reason I was so catty. Had nothing to do with him cheating off my bar exam. It was...that...I..."

Ashley stopped dead in her verbal tracks as Mina turned around to face her. "What?" Mina said. "You were swallowing your pride, kitty, but now you're choking on it."

Ashley's eyes flared over the words. Something inside had struck a strange chord with her. She turned bright red, but merely shook off the words. Her face turned upwards in a catlike smirk. "Never mind. I'm just gonna take a long hard look at my life. Maybe I just need to be honest with myself now. Thank you for making me realize that."

Mina's wide mouth closed.

Somehow she had given Ashley an epiphany. She really wanted to know the real reason she hated Blind so much.

Maybe Mina was biased, but he was the perfect lover. He had treated her like a gentleman the whole time. He was blind, both literally and by love itself.

But Ashley used her crutches to turn around. "Later...undergra---I mean, Mina. Next time you see me, I might be a whole new cat."

Mina watched Ashley leave the procession.

Like Blind, Mina had defeated another prosecutor and tamed them. There were still mysteries to Ashley but for the first time, she didn't feel malevolence from the lioness anymore.

It was true. People could change. At least in the court of law.