A WOMAN has revealed the shocking abuse she suffered after she unexpectedly fell for her older colleague 21 years her senior.
Mikayla Rowat, 25, from Longford, Ireland, felt sparks whilst helping Niall Gill, 46, with an insurance claim at the construction company they both worked at in 2022.
The pair fell madly in love, but kept their relationship a secret, afraid of their co-workers’ opinions.
And their fears were proven right as when their workplace found out, Niall claims he was labelled a ‘groomer.’
The couple eventually quit their jobs, and relocated, but they faced cruel taunts from friends, family and strangers calling Mikayla a ‘child girlfriend,’ ‘gold-digger’ and a ‘trophy.’
Despite the criticism, the couple only grew stronger and now, they’re speaking out in a bid to raise awareness for age gap couples, stressing how age is just a number.
Mikaya, now a receptionist, says: “Against all the odds, Niall and I planning to get married soon.
“It’s 2024, and people have accepted so many kinds of relationships yet age gap couples are stifled, judged and ridiculed.
“I hope other couples with age gaps out there know that they should never be ashamed, and to never give into anyone’s mean comments or disapproval.
“Niall is the love of my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
In 2022, Mikayla was 23 and working as a manager at a construction company in Meath, Ireland.
Her colleague, Niall, was working as a spray painter for one of its branches, and was aged 44.
Mikayla says: “I’d seen Niall around the office before. But one afternoon he came in about an insurance claim for a work van collision he was in, and it was the first time we’d spoken.
“He was short, had greying stubble and was carrying a little weight which suited him well.
“He had a lovely accent and was incredibly cute. Until that moment, I’d never fancied an older man.
“But I’d begun to hate guys my age. Although I was in my early 20s, and lived at home, I already felt ready to settle down.
“Whilst men in my age group only cared about going out drinking, and often messed me around.
“Yet, I still questioned whether my crush for Niall was real.
“I thought it was maybe a kink for an office romance but back at home I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
Days later, Mikayla heard Niall had caught Covid, so she sent him a text checking up on him.
To her surprise, he was delighted by her message, and they began texting every day after that.
Mikayla says: “I discovered Niall and his wife were getting divorced. They had been married for eight years, and had two children, then aged 5 and 7.
“But we had a passion for tattoos, animals, murder mysteries, travelling and even loved the same goofy comedies.
“He was 21 years older but I’d never felt more connected with someone in my life.
“After keeping our distance in the office all week, we met up at McDonald’s after work one evening in secret.
“We were both peering over our shoulders every 10 minutes, stressing we’d get caught.”
A week later, Mikayla introduced Niall to her mum, who was the same age as him and also going through a divorce.
To Mikayla’s surprise, they hit it off and her mum said she suited someone older.
Mikayla says: “I fell madly in love.
“Niall really opened up after that, and revealed he’d had a tough time, dealing with a lot of toxicity in his life.
“I soon met his sons and they loved me.
“But back at work, Niall and I chose to keep us a secret. He was especially embarrassed and worried what people would think of our large age gap.
“After hiding it for four months, everyone in the office found out.
“Our company cars had trackers on them so the CEO could see us at each-other’s houses, and at coffee shops on our breaks.
Everywhere we went, strangers stared. And when we went on holidays, couples whispered
Mikayla Rowat
“Then one day, a colleague said that everyone in the office was saying I was Niall’s ‘trophy’ and he was only with me because I was ‘young and fresh.’
“It was so nasty. I told them it was none of anyone’s business. Niall was devastated by it too.
“Soon we became the talk of the office, and we were horrified when Niall was labelled a groomer.
“The gossip mill went into overdrive, and it felt like everyone decided he’d taken advantage of me and our relationship was wrong and disgusting.
“It was ridiculous as I was the one that chased him. I was a grown woman.”
Mikayla says that the comments eventually started to take their toll on the relationship.
“Nial began to shut down emotionally with me, and he ended up quitting his job,” she says.
“He couldn’t handle the judgement.
“After that, Niall ended up leaving me. He told me he didn’t love me and got into a bad place mentally.
“By then, I hated everyone at work for judging us. So I eventually handed in my notice too.”
But later that year, Mikayla and Niall worked through his fears, and reunited.
They relocated to Longford, Ireland, an hour away, and both got new jobs at different companies.
But in shops, and out in public he struggled to hold Mikayla’s hand and worried what everyone thought.
Mikayla says: “He kept thinking everyone thought I must’ve been with him for money. It was ironic because we earned the same amount.
“Everywhere we went, strangers stared. And when we went on holidays, couples whispered.
“Once I heard people sniggering that I was a gold-digger. Another said ‘Look how young his girlfriend is.’
“Humiliated, Niall would go quiet. Whilst I’d be infuriated and would stop myself from going off at them.”
But it wasn’t just strangers and colleagues that the couple have had to contend with.
“Sadly, Niall’s family also weren’t all accepting,” Mikayla admits.
“People from his past called me his ‘little child girlfriend’ and that being with me made him the worst father.
“His friends made vulgar comments about my body whilst people online would write under our photos asking if I was seriously ‘with that old man?’
“It was horrible. We didn’t understand how people could be so cruel when we were consenting adults.
“The ironic thing about everyone hating us together was that I was the healthiest I’d ever been.
“I’d gone from being anorexic, to putting on three-and-half stone, because of Niall. He was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Despite all the criticism they faced, the couple went from strength to strength and Niall, now a van driver, proposed to Mikayla in July 2023.
In time, their friends and family slowly began to come around, seeing how happy they made each-other.
Mikayla says: “Now Niall and I are planning on getting married, and are concentrating on our happiness.
“He’s going to reverse his vasectomy so we can have a child.
“Despite the hell Niall and I faced, we’re living proof that age is truly just a number.
“If you’re in an age gap relationship, don’t let anyone get to you. If I did, I wouldn’t have the love of my life.”
