Naomi Campbell has broken his silence on Death of Liam Payne. On Friday, the supermodel – who was rumored to be dating the former One Direction star back in 2019 – commented on Nicole Scherzinger’s emotional Instagram tribute to Payne following his untimely passing.

In her post, Scherzinger discussed her long friendship with Payne and how she will forever cherish the time they spent together. “It’s been so hard to process that you’re no longer here, but I’m grateful to have known your kind heart, sweet soul, and character,” she wrote, adding, “You brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the lives of those who truly knew you. I will “miss you” my friend and carry you in my heart.”

In response to Scherzinger’s tribute, Campbell didn’t use words to convey her heartbreak, instead sharing a series of emojis in the comments section, writing: “.”

Campbell and Payne sparked romance rumors in early 2019 after being spotted together at several events and exchanging flirty messages on social media. When asked about the nature of her relationship with Payne during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show in March 2019, Campbell refused to divulge any details, responding: “I never discuss my personal life.”

Payne also wouldn’t confirm or deny if they were a couple when questioned by Andy Cohen during an episode of “Plead the Fifth” on See what’s happening live! “I plead the fifth – it’s my right as a human being,” he joked at the time.

Earlier this month, Payne died at age 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 16. After an autopsy, it was determined that Payne died of “trauma and internal and external bleeding,” and the incident is being investigated as a “suspicious death”.