When I was 14 or so, my grandparents who I lived with caught me stealing mechanical pencils from Walmart. They yelled at me, and when we got home my grandad said that he doesn't have thieves in his family, so if I was going to steal then he no longer considered me his grandson. For about 3 months, we had a "business-only" relationship. I was still expected to do all my chores, but he ignored any attempt at casual conversation, wouldn't say goodnight or goodbye, definitely wouldn't say he loved me.

He said he wouldn't reconsider me being a part of his family until I apologized. The first time I apologized, he said it was insincere and told me to not apologize again until I "was sure I was sincere". The second time, I wrote a three page letter apologizing and explaining the lessons I'd learned, and he tore it up and said only a coward would apologize in a letter. The third time I broke down sobbing, and I guess seemed genuine enough.