Inside Liam Payne and Kate Cassidy's tragic final days from heartbreaking last text to sad regret

One Direction star Liam Payne was tragically found dead at a hotel in Argentina just 48 hours after his girlfriend Kate Cassidy flew back solo to the US to look after their dog Nala

Liam Payne and Kate Cassidy were in 'such a great place' before they devastatingly parted ways for the final time.

The One Direction singer, 31, fatally fell from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024. He spent the last few weeks of his life enjoying a sun-soaked holiday with his beloved girlfriend Kate. The couple, of more than two years, had been enjoying a trip away before tragedy struck a few days later.

Influencer Kate, 25, has now opened up about their last memories and days together and shared why she decided to return to Florida alone, 48 hours before Liam's tragic death. The X Factor star's body was found on an internal patio of the hotel around 5pm, and he suffered "severe injuries which were incompatible with life".

In an in-depth interview with The Sun, Kate shared that she took what would become her last photo of Liam when they were horseback riding on their final day together, and said he "looks so happy". Kate shared: "Liam was in such a good headspace when I left Argentina. We were in such a great place, just full of love; he was so happy and positive.

"And I just can't even believe the way things truly ended. It's genuinely insane to me how things can just be taken away from you so quickly in life, you never truly know what tomorrow will bring, you never know." She also revealed her final text to him when she returned to their home in Miami: "I can't wait for you to get home and see the house."

Kate had their Florida mansion decorated for Halloween, but he sadly never saw it. Kate revealed her decision to return to the US was down to their "responsibility" to look after their dog, Nala, and it wasn't uncommon for them to travel solo. She said: "But, you know, we did have our own separate lives - this wasn't the first time we travelled separately."

She discovered the news of Liam's shattering death when one of his friends called her at home. She was sat scrolling through social media at the time and is incredibly relieved she didn't read it. Initially, she thought it was a cruel hoax, but had a "bad feeling" that it would be true. Her mother got the first flight to Florida to be with her, and Kate tried to call Liam's phone to speak to him.

Despite reportedly being clean from drugs in his final months, Liam appeared to relapse, with the initial toxicology report finding traces of "alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants" in his system. But Kate believes he had been in a "good headspace" when she left Argentina. In the days before his untimely passing, there were no signs of the darkness that lay ahead.

Liam was active on social media and shared a picture of himself with Kate at the breakfast table, captioned: "Lovely day in Argentina [love heart emoji]." He filmed the former waitress waving to the camera, before she revealed how they "sleep in every day until 12, we're such losers." To which Liam replied: "No" before giggling.

Kate posted a TikTok and admitted she had grown tired of their extended trip. She said: "I was so ready to leave. Love South America, but I hate staying in one place for too long and we were supposed to be there for five days, turned into two weeks and I was just like, 'I need to go home'." It was later claimed Kate allegedly gave Liam an ultimatum before she left - stop taking drugs or lose her.

Speaking to the New York Post, a source, who was reportedly a friend of Kate, said: "His drug use was causing a lot of drama. So she gave him an ultimatum: her or the drugs. She thought she was doing tough love."

It was a relatively new relationship for Liam, who began dating Kate in 2022. They were first pictured wearing Halloween costumes, with Kate dressed as Pamela Anderson, while Payne, sporting a white tank top, went as her ex-husband Tommy Lee. Two months later, they made their official debut at the British Fashion Awards in London on the red carpet.

Following her boyfriend's death, Kate shared several heartbreaking tributes online. In one, she revealed that Liam had intended to marry her, making his wishes clear in a note he wrote shortly before his tragic death. Kate opened up about the romantic message Liam had told her not to read, that he'd penned during an evening spent manifesting the futures they'd hoped for.

Kate wrote on Instagram: "A few weeks ago, we sat outside on a beautiful evening manifesting our lives together. I keep your note close, even though you told me not to look at it. It said, 'Me and Kate to marry within a year/engaged & together forever 444'. Liam, I know we'll be together forever, but not in the way we had planned. You'll always be with me. I've gained a guardian angel."

She continued: "I will love you for the rest of my life and beyond, carrying our dreams and memories with me everywhere I go. Forever yours, Katelyn 444." In numerology, 444 is an angel number that represents a powerful message of guidance, support, and love from angels watching over you.

Since his death, Kate has repeatedly been phoning Liam's old phone number just to hear his voicemail greeting. She's also vacated the property that they once rented in Florida and has returned to her hometown, New Jersey. Although she used to fall asleep listening to his music, this is no longer a reality for Kate who struggles to listen to his tunes.