Chapter 5943

Originally, Sanjing Yoshitaka had extended multiple invitations to Michaela for the party, but each time she had declined. Eventually, Michaela arranged for Kelly to attend in her stead, and Sanjing Yoshitaka recognized her determination, leading him to concede. However, he was taken aback when Michaela unexpectedly arrived at the party after it had already begun, catching him completely off guard. Without hesitation, he abandoned his efforts to appease Tawanna and announced the delightful news to everyone. When the guests learned that the renowned Michaela would be attending, the atmosphere shifted from the chilly reception caused by Tawanna to a warm excitement. Noticing the indifference from the crowd towards her enthusiastic speech, Tawanna felt a mix of disappointment and anger wash over her. She glanced at the Japanese attendees engaged in conversation and wondered, "Why are they so indifferent? Why don’t they pay attention to the minority groups that need it?" At that moment, Mitsui Yoshitaka turned to his assistant and quietly remarked, "Do you have any idea why Miss Joules changed her mind?" The assistant quickly replied, "Miss Joules's assistant mentioned on the phone that her two close friends are at our party, and she wanted to come see them." "Her close friends?" Mitsui Yoshitaka asked eagerly. "Do you know who they are?" The assistant shook his head and replied, "Not yet, but I’ve already asked someone to find out." "Alright," Mitsui Yoshitaka urged, "Hurry! The sooner, the better!" Tawanna hadn’t anticipated that Michaela's sudden appearance would divert Mitsui Yoshitaka's attention away from her. It seemed like others were beginning to whisper about Michaela, almost disregarding Tawanna entirely. Frustrated, Tawanna stepped down from the small stage and returned to her boyfriend. Noticing her mood, he tried to console her: "It’s alright, sweetheart. Don’t waste your efforts trying to make these Japanese understand your significance, or strive to teach them about true equality. They simply can’t grasp it. Remember, they still participate in dolphin and whale hunts." Tawanna held her boyfriend Trevor’s hand tightly and whispered, "Trevor, I never expected that woman's odds would be so high, despite my countless ardent fans. They admire me and follow me, and I thought they would surely support me over that woman, yet she’s still likely to win..." Trevor raised his hands in resignation and said, "Most Americans aren't elites. Perhaps, like the Japanese, they just can’t comprehend your views. There’s a saying that the truth always lies with a select few." Hearing her boyfriend’s words, Tawanna felt somewhat relieved. For a long time, she had poured her energy into promoting the candidate she supported, passionately endorsing them at concerts and frequently posting long messages on social media to convince her fans. She believed she had hundreds of millions of fans, with tens of millions in the United States alone. If even half of them could be inspired by her efforts, the woman would win. She had thought there was no way she would lose this time and imagined herself as an influential ally helping her candidate succeed.

Yet reality proved to be harsh; despite her relentless support, it seemed she couldn’t help her candidate win the election. This not only left her feeling defeated but also plunged her into a spiral of self-doubt. Just then, Mitsui Yoshitaka’s assistant approached and whispered to him: "Sir, I've confirmed that Miss Joules's two close friends were invited by Sasaki Sachiko, the eldest daughter of the Sasaki family." "The Sasaki family?" Mitsui Yoshitaka exclaimed, surprised. He understood well the influence of the Sasaki family; they were minor players relying on the Mitsui family for support. How could such a small player possibly know Michaela's friends? The assistant, aware of Mitsui Yoshitaka's confusion, added, "Kelly West is with them at the moment." Mitsui Yoshitaka swiftly scanned the area and soon spotted Kelly engaged in conversation with several individuals in the corner. He then instructed his assistant, "Come on, let’s go." With that, he made his way toward Kelly and Charlie. Claire, upon hearing that Michaela was coming, felt a mix of surprise and joy. She asked Kelly, "Didn’t Miss Joules say she couldn't make it?" Kelly glanced at Charlie before responding. Seeing no change in his expression, she said apologetically, "I’m sorry, Claire. I was so excited to see you that I let it slip to Miss Joules. She was also thrilled and really missed you, which is why she decided to come." Claire smiled and said, "It’s fine. I didn’t want to interrupt her work; otherwise, I would have contacted her myself." At that moment, Mitsui Yoshitaka approached Charlie and, with a smile, addressed Kelly: "Miss West, these two must be your close friends. May I know their names?" Kelly smiled and replied, "Mr. Mitsui, not only are these two my good friends, but they are also friends of Miss Joules. Did you know that Miss Joules is coming soon?" "I already know!" Mitsui Yoshitaka responded with a grin. "I came over to meet these two notable guests in advance." He then turned to Charlie, extending his hand politely, and introduced himself: "Hello, sir. I am Mitsui Yoshitaka, the current head of the Mitsui family. What is your name?" Charlie smiled back and replied, "My last name is Wade; you can call me Mr. Wade. This is my wife." Mitsui Yoshitaka nodded enthusiastically and suggested, "Mr. Wade, Mrs. Wade, why don’t you come to the main area? I’d like to introduce some friends." He added, wanting to entice Charlie: "In the main area, you will have a chance to interact with Tawanna Sweet. You could even chat with her briefly and have the opportunity for photos and autographs. If that interests you, it would be easy to get her autograph then." Claire was clearly intrigued. While she understood that Charlie was leveraging Michaela's fame, the chance to be close to Tawanna and take pictures with her was exceptional. She realized such an opportunity might not come again. She turned to Charlie, eager to hear his decision. Charlie, uninterested in Tawanna's attempts to draw attention, noticed the excitement in Claire's eyes and replied to Mitsui Yoshitaka, "In that case, I’d appreciate your assistance with the introductions."