Liam Payne fiercely defended girlfriend Kate Cassidy from trolls saying the same thing

girlfriend has thanked well-wishers following her devastating loss - however she previously faced cruel criticism online about their relationship.

American TikToker was with the former star for two years, but it wasn't smooth sailing when they first went public with their romance. Kate, 25, was hit with remarks saying she was only with Liam 'for his money', and the star fiercely defended his girlfriend online in a bid to put an end to the criticism.

Liam, who tragically died aged 31, was forced to take action against those accusing her of only being with him for his multimillion-pound fortune, but he said he's "never felt a love like this" with Kate. Not everyone was on board with the relationship as one worried fan sent the singer a message, expressing concern about Kate's true intentions.

However Liam screenshotted the message and uploaded it to his social media and gushed about how much he adored Kate. He said: "Gotta say you could tell me anything and I couldn't be turned, I've never felt a love like I do for Katelyn. We make each other better people."

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Then he hit back at the golddigger comments, adding: "If it was just for the money I'd give her all of it. It's not though (please remember I'm hella sexy) and I know I'm fun and a loveable person. And I don't give a f*** to say that for the first time in my life I'm happy to be me and that's priceless."

who shot to fame after auditioning on The , tragically fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. City ambulance service provider spokesman Alberto Crescenti said he had fallen around 40 metres and suffered “severe injuries which were incompatible with life.”

In recent weeks, Liam had been documenting his travels in Argentina and attended the concert of his former bandmate, Niall Horan. He had also been joined by girlfriend Kate on the trip. In his final Snapchat posts, Liam revealed the couple were staying with a friend in Argentina.

The singer, who had previous relationships with Cheryl Cole and Maya Henry, was first seen with Kate in October 2022. They were rocked by split rumours in May 2023 but they were still dating and sharing snippets of their romance at the time of Liam's death. Liam revealed he felt he didn't need to hide his relationship with Kate from the .

"I'm kind of at the place in my life now where I just realize it's not worth sacrificing my happiness just because somebody might see something," he said 2019 interview with "I don't have anything to hide."

After the news of Liam's tragic death, Kate took to Instagram to share tributes to her late boyfriend. In her latest post, she shared a black-and-white photo of

She revealed the couple were 'manifesting their lives together' in the weeks before Kate said he wrote her a beautiful letter insisting that the two would be married within a year but asked her not to read the note.

Kate said: "I don't even know where to begin. My heart is shattered in ways I can't put into words. I wish you could see the huge impact you've had on the , even as it feels so dark right now. You brought so much happiness and positivity to everyone-millions of fans, your family, friends, and especially me. You are so incredibly loved.

"You are because I can't say were-my best friend, the love of my life, and everyone you touched felt just as special as I did. Your energy was contagious, lighting up every room you walked into. None of this feels real, and I can't wrap my head around this new reality of not having you here. I'm struggling to figure out how to live in a world without you by my side. Together, we got to be kids again, always finding joy in the smallest things.

"Liam, you had the kindest soul and the most fun-loving spirit. It feels like I've lost the best part of myself. I can't imagine a day without your laughter and love. You brought so much light into my life."

She continued: "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."

And concluded: "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." The angel number, 444, conveys a message of love, support as well as guidance from your angels.