In a shocking twist that nobody saw coming—mostly because, let’s be honest, who really thought Liam Payne would exit this stage of life at 31 while vacationing in Argentina?—the former One Direction heartthrob has decided to trade his mic for a heavenly microphone. Talk about a major plot twist!
Aliana Mawla, who had a brief dalliance with Liam back in 2022 (you know, the year when we were all trying to remember what pants were), took to social media on October 17 to pay tribute to her former flame. Honestly, we didn’t even know they were still in the same time zone!
On her Instagram story, Aliana shared two photos—because, you know, one just isn’t enough for a moment like this. The first snap? A classic Liam pose, gazing down at a crowd like he was judging them for their choice of socks. The second? A sweet moment where he’s holding her hand, clearly thinking, “Why am I holding this person’s hand?”
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” Aliana wrote on the first pic, which was both sweet and slightly dramatic—like a soap opera, but with better hair. “Will forever love & miss you.” This sentiment was matched only by her brief, yet powerful, “rest in paradise” on the second photo, which really had the Instagram aesthetic on lock.
Then, in a bold move that could only be described as “ocean vibes,” she posted a clip of the moon shining over the beach. You know, to really capture that whole “he’s gone, but I’m still fabulous” energy.
As a quick reminder for those who forgot: Liam and Aliana were first spotted together in May 2022, just as fans were lighting up their Twitter feeds and sending Maya Henry—who Liam was engaged to at the time—into a panic. A few dramatic months later, the engagement was called off, and it seemed like Aliana swooped in like a hawk on a fresh batch of fries.
So here’s to Liam Payne: forever young, forever a pop star, and apparently, forever the subject of a posthumous Instagram tribute that probably deserves its own soundtrack.
