Kate Cassidy has spoken out for the first time about her final days with Liam Payne, sharing her emotional reflections in an interview following the singer’s tragic death.

The former One Direction star passed away at 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024.

Just two days before his death, Cassidy, his girlfriend of two years, returned to her home in Miami, Florida. This sparked speculation that the couple had split up.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, the 25-year-old influencer opened up about why she left Argentina and the heartbreaking moment she learned of Payne’s passing.

Cassidy described their relationship as a “fairytale romance” and said she supported Payne “through thick and thin,” with plans to marry him in the future.

“Love is so hopeful, and you always want to believe that everything will work out in the end,” Cassidy said. “If I had known what would happen, I never would have left Argentina.”

She explained that her initial plan was to stay in Argentina for about a week, but after two weeks, she felt the need to return home due to their responsibilities, including caring for their dog.

Cassidy referred to Payne as her “charming soulmate,” saying, “I never thought this would have happened.”

The tragic news came as she was scrolling through TikTok at home with their dog, Nala, when one of Payne’s friends called her.

“I couldn’t believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumor, something someone made up for views. But then I had this horrible feeling in my stomach. Why would someone lie about this? Is it true?” Cassidy recalled. “I completely blacked out. When I found out it was real, I felt numb. I tried calling him, calling everyone.”

She tearfully added that Nala seemed confused, thinking Cassidy was just playing as she paced around the house, unable to sleep that night.

“I still can’t fully believe it,” Cassidy said, reflecting on the pain of losing Payne. “I think about him every second of every day. The idea that he won’t be here to navigate life with me, that I have to face this without him… it’s incredibly hard.”

“You never imagine the worst possible thing happening,” she continued.

Following Payne’s death, five people have been charged in connection with the incident, and a UK inquest confirmed his cause of death as “polytrauma.”

Image Credit: Instagram/Kateecass