Kate Cassidy, the girlfriend of the late One Direction star Liam Payne, has opened up about her grief in a recent interview.

In an interview with The Sun, which came out on Wednesday, Cassidy expressed her sorrow, stating, “It was a tragic accident and I never expected him to pass away young. We each had our own lives, and this wasn’t the first time we traveled apart. I just never imagined this would end the way it did.”

The former boy band member, who was part of the celebrated group, tragically passed away at the age of 31 after falling from a balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.

Cassidy shared, “It still feels surreal that he’s gone. From the moment I met Liam, I truly believed we were soulmates; he was incredibly humble, charming, and just an ordinary guy, genuinely one of the best people I have ever known.”

She added, “When I heard about Liam’s passing, I felt like I just completely shut down. I was in shock—when I confirmed that the news was true, I felt numb. I reached out to him and called nearly everyone. You never anticipate something this devastating happening.”

Having left Argentina shortly before Payne’s death, Cassidy expressed that she wouldn’t have left if she had foreseen the tragedy.

“Love makes you hopeful, and you want to believe that everything will turn out fine. Naturally, if I could predict the future, I would never have left Argentina,” she explained.

Kate Cassidy Previously Spoke Out: ‘Feeling at a Complete Loss’

Cassidy, an influencer with over 850,000 Instagram followers, and the singer of “Strip That Down” went public with their relationship in 2022. She shared a snapshot from their debut at the British Fashion Awards that December, captioning it “amazing” while Payne gazed at her with a loving smile.

She had also addressed her feelings about Payne’s death in an extensive Instagram post.

“I have been completely lost. The last few days have felt unreal,” she shared in her Instagram story. “I prayerfully ask for your understanding and space as I navigate this privately.”

In her Instagram story, she expressed, “Liam, my angel. You mean everything to me. I want you to know that my love for you was unconditional and absolute. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you, Liam.”