Hey first time posting here, need to identify what i did wrong

i'm 23m, met a 32f, super attractive blonde girl at a club. She kinda moved to me, but she was my type to a t. To preface, I know she found me quite attractive as well, and I was her type, except the age issue.

basically, it was all going well until the age question somehow came up, she doesn't look her age at all, so i told her i was turning 24 soon, and instantly after that, due to the age difference with me being that much younger, she got sad, and i noticed this.

Was still fine until later on when she went to the bathroom with her friend (guessing they gossiped), which case interest decreased significantly, and I felt it was very hard from that point to get her full attention. From this point i think i lost it, and she wasn't feeling it too much no more.

Just wondering, except for straight up lying about my age, how do people deal with this?

Girls typically prefer older guys, is there any way to continue building interest and not lose them after the age reveal?

Wondering what's the solution for this? Do you just say your real age and firm it and try and play around it? Knowing that for a lot of girls, especially if the gap is semi significant and they aren't looking for a young bull/plaything, its a dealbreaker?

Or do you lie about your age and try and recover the consequences on a date? In hindsight, I'm fairly confident if I had a fair shot/opportunity to get her on a date, I could cook her and make some magic happen. But considering the situation, I've basically lost this chance now, at someone I would've genuinely dated and wanted to get to know more. Sad life man