If I was a gold digger, I’m very bad at it: S’porean woman, 28, defends romance with US boyfriend, 49, who moved to S’pore with no job lined up

When 28-year-old Singaporean Noor Alimna joined U.S. reality show "90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way" with her 49-year-old American boyfriend, she didn't expect their relationship to "blow up" back home.

Known as Ally on the show, she raised eyebrows by revealing their 21-year age gap and her pregnancy, which she'd kept a secret from her parents.

More jaws dropped when it was revealed that her boyfriend, Jonathan Wheeler Pearce, was a divorced father whose ex-wife still lived in his house.

Despite the mixed reactions so far, Ally told Mothership in an Oct. 19 interview that she "[doesn't] let it get to [her]".

"I feel like I get soo much hate from Singaporeans because obviously I'm doing something that's taboo," she acknowledged.

The tech analyst also addressed speculations that she was dating Pearce for his money.

"Honestly, if I was a gold digger, I'm really bad at it, because where's the gold?" she quipped.

Start of their love story

Setting the record straight, Ally shared that she was not looking for anything serious when she first met Pearce.

She had just come out of a toxic four-year relationship and was left with a huge amount of debt.

To "have fun", she would often travel to Malaysia, where things were more affordable.

It was there that she met Pearce at a bar in December 2023, while he was in the country on a business trip.

Initially, Ally was not interested in him.

But sparks eventually flew as the pair kept in touch and continued to hang out.

Making long distance work

The couple subsequently got together and maintained a long-distance relationship, travelling between Singapore and the U.S. to see each other.

As someone whose love language is physical touch, Ally found the arrangement difficult.

She often shared her struggles with Pearce, and the couple eventually decided that she would move to the U.S. on a K-1 visa.

The visa allows the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen to enter the country and marry their sponsor within 90 days of arrival.

The application process typically takes about a year.

But their plans took an unexpected turn when Ally discovered she was pregnant in August 2025.

They submitted a request to expedite the visa process, but it was rejected.

Ally, who described herself as having a typically Singaporean "kiasu" mindset, told Pearce that they needed a plan B.

Their solution? Have Pearce move to Singapore instead.

This eventually became the premise of the show, which follows Americans who move abroad to be with their partners.

The couple had initially applied to appear on the original 90 Day Fiancé, which follows couples in which one partner travels to the U.S. on a fiancé visa to live with their future spouse.

Cultural differences

Ally said one of the couple's biggest differences lies in their mentality, rather than their age gap, as many might assume.

These differences became more apparent when Pearce moved to Singapore, as seen in the show.

"I think in Singapore, we are primed from a young age to be able to plan ahead... but he is not at all. He'll just take things as it goes," she said.

Their differing approaches to planning have caused some friction, as seen in one episode when Ally confronted Pearce about not having found a job before moving to Singapore.

But on the whole, she said that Pearce, who owns a U.S. business that designs and manufactures sonar equipment, has been good at adjusting to life in Singapore.

She added that he is a "breath of fresh air", and that their age gap has not gotten in the way of their emotional and mental connection.

"This guy is so kind, so caring. He's so chivalrous, he's such a gentleman... Also very good at sex," she quipped.

Family and faith

Another major hurdle for the couple is Ally's relationship with her parents, whom she described as religious and strict.

As the "black sheep" of the family, Ally said her parents are accustomed to her rebellious nature.

When she introduced Pearce to them, they "loved" him almost immediately. But they told him that he would need to convert to Islam if he wanted to marry their daughter.

"I'm not religious... [but] I really want my parents' blessings when it comes to marriage," she said.

When she spoke to Pearce, he told her that he is open to converting because he is willing to do whatever it takes to marry her.

The episodes aired so far have yet to reveal her parents' reaction to the pregnancy, although viewers can expect to see them in upcoming episodes.

Previously, Ally revealed that her parents did not know about the pregnancy.

"Every time I went to visit them, I would dress in very baggy clothes... I [told] them that I was  gaining weight from stress," she laughed.

More to come

Despite the backlash, Ally hopes viewers will continue following their journey with an open mind.

While some issues — like her pregnancy — may seem taboo to Singaporeans, she maintains that they "made a baby out of love" and that he's already an "amazing father" with his existing kids.

"I feel like our journey is a very unique one, and there is so much love between us," she said.

"I hope people can actually see our situation as something that is more on love, instead of letting external factors determine whether we are a great couple together."