I have a relationship of sorts that started as a hire. I hired him and we clicked the first meeting. I hired him many times, over a couple years. We became pretty good friends and I talked with him often over those years. We lived in different cities a few hundred miles apart, so more phone conversations than direct meetings. During one of our sessions, he mentioned that his current BF was being pretty difficult and they were headed to a break up. It was going to be difficult for him because he had no where to go. Of course I offered him a place to stay if he was willing to live by my rules. I would cover house expenses, but he would have to work and cover all his personal expenses including car, food, etc. We would have to work out anything sexual as we went along. He took me up on the offer. That was in 2002. He’s still here. I consider him my closest friend today.
We have never engaged in sex since he moved in. He has had several BFs over those years ( none stuck) and I continued to engage in this hobby with others.
He watches out for me. For example, this year hitting up all his medical field friends trying to get me vaccinated. I am fully vaccinated today.
He worked in a financial services office when he got settled here. Eight years ago he founded his own practice. This year he merged his practice with another gay office. In short, a very successful transition from one service to another over about 19 years.
Perhaps not exactly what you were asking about, not a significant other in the sense you used. But a real situation that started out as a hire and is significant for me and for him.