He was recognized.
Samantha was utterly taken aback by the homeless man Marcus’s reaction. He vehemently refused the money she offered him multiple times, shouting, “I don’t want your money, leave me alone.” It seemed he had some inkling of who Samantha was, and if that were true, it could spell big trouble for her. This created an unexpected and complex dilemma that she hadn’t anticipated, making the situation far more complicated than a simple act of charity.
It was inevitable that this story would go viral on social media. Everyone was going to see what happened, which for her meant the end. The idea that her own downfall would suddenly become the center of everyone’s attention made her feel as though her carefully constructed image was disintegrating like ash blown away by the wind, with cold sweat running down her back.