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Maya Henry, former One Direction member Liam Payne's ex-girlfriend, released her debut novel, Looking Forward, on May 15, 2024. The book follows the protagonist Mallory's tumultuous relationship with Oliver, a charming British pop star. The 24-year-old actress revealed that the novel was inspired by her personal journals that she maintained during her relationship with Payne.
Disclaimer: The following article talks about medical abortion, substance abuse and domestic abuse which may be triggering for some. Readers' discretion is adviced.
The book delves into Mallory's relationship with Oliver, which was seemingly picture-perfect at first but was later marred by serious issues such as abortion, abuse, violence, self-harm, substance abuse, and eating disorders.
Maya Henry, who was previously engaged to Liam Payne in 2020, claimed that Looking Forward was "definitely inspired by true events."
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Maya Henry and Liam Payne's relationship timeline explored
According to Cosmopolitan, star Liam Payne and Maya Henry were first rumored to be dating after the pair were spotted on multiple alleged dates in London in August 2018. This came after Payne broke up with Cheryl Cole, the mother of his seven-year-old son Bear, in 2018.
The former One Direction singer confirmed his relationship with Henry in 2019 when he appeared in an interview with Roman Kemp.
"I'm just past the point of where I'm bothered or not. It's not worth my happiness; I'd just rather go out and do what I want. I've got nothing to hide," he said.
Maya Henry also posted a picture of the couple on her Instagram in September 2019, making things official. The couple was often spotted at events together.
In August 2020, Payne and Henry reportedly got engaged when the latter was spotted wearing a diamond ring allegedly worth £3 million, as per Mail Online. Later, Payne confirmed the engagement during his interview on Good Morning America.
In June 2021, the couple announced they had split up and called off the engagement. On the Diary of a CEO podcast, Payne revealed that he had "just not been very good at relationships."
"I'm just not very good at them so I just need to work on myself before I put myself on to somebody else. That's where I got to in my last relationship. I just wasn't giving a very good version of me anymore, that I didn't appreciate and I didn't like being. I can honestly say I feel better out of it," he added.
The couple eventually reconciled two months later, in August 2021. It is unclear whether they resumed their engagement. However, in April 2022, Liam Payne and Maya Henry split up for good.
Maya Henry recalled her "painful" abortion experience in a new interview
Maya Henry's debut novel Looking Forward sees the main character, Mallory, subjected to an ultimatum by Oliver to undergo an abortion or end the relationship.
While Henry called the book fictional, she revealed that the abortion was based on a real-life incident that happened to her. In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, she said:
“If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have done it [referring to the abortion]. But then also, if I were to have made a different decision, then I would’ve lost the person that I loved. There were definitely difficult conversations about it. But looking back now, things happen for a reason.”
She also recalled going to the hospital alone, as she had some complications. It is unclear when the actress underwent an abortion or who the supposed father was.
Maya Henry also opened up about the eight-year age gap between her and Payne when they first started dating. She was 18, while the singer was 26.
“I was very mature for my age and could live on my own, but I think I was very naïve in relationships because I hadn’t been in a real adult relationship. And then to be engaged in your first real adult relationship was a lot. I don’t know if it was a power imbalance, [but] I feel like maybe my love was taken advantage of in a way," she added.
In the book, Mallory deals with Oliver's substance abuse as his career plummets, even acting as his caregiver despite the pop star's verbal abuse towards her. It is a well-known fact that Liam Payne has been open about his past with substance abuse and has reportedly been sober since 2023 after spending 100 days in a rehab facility in Louisiana.
Maya Henry also claimed that Payne still "regularly reaches out" to her and that she wasn't worried whether he would read her book. She explained her reason for publishing the novel, claiming to provide a space that fostered difficult conversations to help women feel less alone.
Maya Henry is currently a full-time student at New York University. She is studying creative writing and will, reportedly, graduate this year.
