Liam Payne‘s ex-fiancée Maya Henry is breaking her silence on the singer’s death.
As Perezcious readers know, Maya was embroiled in a legal battle with the One Direction star at the time of his death. She’s opened up about their rocky romance in the past, including in her book, Looking Forward, based on her love story, such as noting she was forced to get a dangerous at-home abortion.
Related: Liam Honored With Plaque In Location Very Special To 1D Fans
Speaking to Rolling Stone on Tuesday, she got super candid about their romance, sharing:
“This was someone I loved very much. Initially, it was the drug use and addictions that tore us apart. Anyone who has been with an addict understands how difficult that is. While I loved him deeply, he did things that hurt me in ways I’ll never fully understand, and he continued to hurt me years after we broke up.”
As mentioned, they were in a legal battle up until his death which included Maya sending him a cease and desist letter. But as much as he “hurt” her after their split in 2022, it was all that she went through in the relationship that left a lasting impact:
“On drugs, he became someone unrecognizable — so different from his sober self. I kept hoping each incident would be a wake-up call for him to get help, but it never was. I tried to be there for him. I loved him so much that I convinced myself I could fix things.”
She furthered:
“I put myself in situations that were unsafe and harmful. I knew there were parts of himself he was struggling with — parts of his identity he wasn’t ready to fully face, even within our relationship.”
She could be alluding to the fact he reportedly “struggled with his sexuality” amid their relationship and was caught “sexting men.” With all the heaviness affecting their connection, the 25-year-old ultimately had to put herself first:
“In the end, it wasn’t just the betrayals or the addictions that broke us — it was the realization that I had spent years in something that was never what I thought it was. I don’t fault him for his struggles. I stood by him in his darkest moments, through the chaos, through the pain, through things that broke me in ways I can’t explain. And yet, when it was all over, I was left with nothing but emptiness.”
Brutal. She went on:
“The love I gave, the sacrifices I made — they weren’t enough because they never could be. I wasn’t just heartbroken. I felt defrauded, as so many women in my position would. But what I do know is this: It wasn’t about me or anything I did. It was about struggles beyond my control. And in the end, I had to choose myself. I had to walk away, no matter how much it hurt, because staying in his world meant losing myself.”
Oof.
It’s so, so tough dating someone with addiction struggles. She tried for so long to help him, but there’s only so much you can do until someone is ready to accept the help.
A source also spoke to the outlet and elaborated on the 2020 abortion Maya was forced to get after her lover gave her an ultimatum. The insider expressed:
“Liam sent Maya a long message saying it’s either get an abortion and stay with him, or raise the kid alone and he will not acknowledge either of them. This was a surprise to Maya, because Liam wanted to have a family, and they were trying for a kid.”
Liam already shared a son Bear with ex Cheryl Cole. Maya wrote about a similar abortion situation in her book, which she later told People was inspired by her own life (though she didn’t name Liam directly). Looking back she “wouldn’t have done it” but also expressed “things happen for a reason.” So tough.
Thoughts? Share them (below).
For resources on mental health, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.
If you or someone you know is experiencing substance abuse, help is available. Consider checking out the resources SAMHSA provides at https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline or check out StartYourRecovery.org
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