Cassidy reflects on Payne's tragic death and their relationship

Payne died falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Argentina, where he had been staying with Cassidy - however, she had left the country days earlier.

Now, Cassidy has revealed why she left, telling The Sun in her first interview since Payne's death that she'd returned to Florida to take care of the couple's rescue dog, Nala.

"I had a responsibility, we had a responsibility. We had our dog and obviously I never, ever thought this event would occur," she told the publication.

"Love is so optimistic, and you just hope that everything will work out at the end. Obviously if I knew, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina."

She called Payne's death a "tragic accident", adding that she does believe it was an accident and not suicide.

Saying she never thought that her partner might die young, Cassidy said the couple had their "own separate lives," stating, "this wasn't the first time we have travelled separately."

Cassidy and Payne had been dating since 2022, first being linked on Halloween after they shared pictures dressed as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee at a party.

Soon after, they were pictured officially supporting each other on red carpets such as the opening event of Atlantis The Royal in Dubai in January 2023 and the premiere of All of Those Voices in March 2023, supporting fellow One Direction alum Louis Tomlinson's documentary.

The internet personality said that she "genuinely believed" she and Payne were soulmates from the moment they met.

"He was the most humble, charming, normal person you could ever hope to come across, and genuinely one of the best people I've ever met in my life," she said.

"That he won't be there with me to navigate through this life, that I'll have to deal with this without him by my side . . . it's really hard.

"You don't think about the worst possible thing that can happen."

Cassidy told the publication she has been seeing a grief therapist since her partner's death, sharing that she still often finds herself calling his phone to listen to his voicemail.

The one thing she's grateful for amidst the grief is the fact that friends of Payne's called her about his passing before she could find out about it on social media.

"I just couldn't even imagine that. I was in our home with our dog, scrolling TikTok and one of Liam's friends called me," she said.

"That moment, it's like blank; it's blacked out in my head."

Cassidy said she didn't believe the news at first, thinking his friends had gotten it wrong and it was all just a rumour "made up just to get views".

"Then instantly I just had a bad feeling in my gut," she added.

"I was like, 'Why would somebody make this up? Is this true?'

When she realised it was indeed true, Cassidy said she went numb.

"I tried to call him. I called pretty much everybody," she said.

"I just never thought this would have happened, that it would turn out the way it did," Cassidy added.

"It still doesn't feel fully real for me that he's not here.

"I'm trying to be the best I can be, but I feel like my life has changed so much. I think about Liam every second of every day."