Worthlessness

Worthlessness is a powerful lie that rules the city inside Valerie Swanson's mind. While smaller lies tell Valerie that her paintings are ugly and that she has no talent, Worthlessness works beneath them, insisting that failure means she has no value. It has controlled her thoughts for years and knows the true identity of the rookie assisting Detective Decker. When Valerie searches for her missing Love of Painting, the investigation leads directly to this hidden enemy. Worthlessness uses shame and rejection to keep her from remembering that she is loved. Confronting it requires Valerie to separate painful criticism from the truth about who she is and to name the lie instead of obeying it.