Title: The Other Belle
Author: Whitney G.
Release Date: November 4, 2022
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Steamy Fairy Tale 
The ‘tale as old as time’ has always been a lie…
There was no such thing as a “beautiful girl who stumbles into an enchanted castle and falls for a beast.”
My older sister is a liar, and she’s always been far more calculated than that.
I don’t blame you for buying into her compelling fairytale, though.
She’s always been an incredible storyteller.
Truth is, deep in The Whispering Woods, far past the Seven Sinful Kingdoms, several secrets remain untold.
They’ve lain dormant for centuries, protecting the true hero of this story, a dominant “villain” destined for Hell…
Until now, until me.
The other Belle…
Once Upon a Time
Belle
I’ve always known that I am the biggest disappointment in my family.Since the day I was born, my father has made it painstakingly clear that my older sister Isabelle, “the better Belle,” is his golden child.
I’m an unwanted copper tin that he can’t wait to throw away, the rubbish that he keeps hidden from sight as much as possible.
Only a few people in our village know that I exist…
On countless nights, I’ve awoken to the sound of his ugly whispered prayers, wondering if he knew I could hear.
“Please change Belle into someone else so she can land a suitor who will help pull us out of our debt.”
“Why couldn’t you drag her to heaven instead of her mother?”
“Can you at least teach her how to read books as well as Izzie so the town library might have a job for her when I die?”
I can’t help but see the irony in his last prayer since my sister is a living, breathing fraud, but that’s a story for another day.
“This is your last chance to prove your worth to this family, Belle.” He suddenly steps in front of my bed, holding out a bright red ribbon.
“If the prince’s glass slipper doesn’t fit your foot today, there’s no shame in that, but if it does and you even try to resist, I swear on everything I own that—”
“You’ll punish me by locking me in the basement until I’m forgiven.”
“I’ll never forgive you.” He snaps his fingers. “Izzie! Come help Belle with her hair and face, please!”
Stifling a groan, I walk over to the window and watch heavy sheets of rain attack our land. I silently wish the hills would rise and roll over our cottage, so I won’t have to take part in this.
Then again, an escape from my bleak existence might be nice.
Every woman in town is buzzing with glee over the day’s big news: A prince from the Second Kingdom is crossing through The Whispering Woods in search of his lost love via a “Which maiden’s foot can fit the slipper she left behind?” contest.
I desperately want to know why he can’t remember what this woman looks like and attempt to find her that way, but no one else seems to find this odd.
Can a prince really be that stupid?
“Your eyes are so beautiful, Belle.” Izzie pulls a brush through my curls, yanking all the life from them. “Dark emerald and grey like our mother’s. You should help the prince focus on those when he arrives instead of opening your mouth.”
“I’ll try.”
“Try hard.” She scolds. “I mean, that’s what I would do if this was my only shot at landing a prince. This is as close as you’ll ever get to attracting a suitor, so don’t cry if it doesn’t work out.”
“Right…” I don’t dare mention that she cried bloody murder this morning when she found out she was ineligible for this silly fitting game.
“Are you reading anything good lately?” she asks.
“Romeo & Juliet,” I say. “Oh, and I’m almost done with Oedipus Rex.”
“I see.” She loops a red ribbon around my smoothed hair. “Are they romances?”
“No, Izzie.” I hold back a sigh. “They both end in utter tragedy.”
“What?” She sucks in a breath. “Then why are you reading them? Better yet, how could any author bother to write such awful things?”
I bite my tongue as hard as I can.
Moments like this are what I wish most people witnessed when they complimented how “well-read” and “worldly” my sister is.
They’re completely unaware that she reads the same three books every week—usually skipping ahead to revisit her favorite chapters—and I’m convinced that she can recite those stories word for word. All without ever glancing at the page. She complains about being misunderstood, wanting to explore the world outside of our small kingdom, but whenever I tell her that we should go together, she comes up with an excuse.
Standing still, I force myself to smile as she paints my face in pale powder and coats my lips in a crimson rouge.
“Okay, you’re all set.” She spins me around to face my father. “This is the best I can do.”
“Much better.” He glances at his pocket watch and pushes me closer to the door. “Don’t keep him waiting when he’s close. Make a good impression and say all the right things.”
“All the right things” means utter silence in his book.
I stare through the glass as a sparkling golden carriage, led by four grand white horses, makes its way down our winding road.
With every galloping step, I can’t help but wonder what life in the other kingdoms is like.
They can’t all be this way…
When the procession stops in front of our gate, two footmen step into the rain and roll out a royal blue carpet.
Another servant opens the back door and holds up a parasol, while another ties the stallions to our fence.
The prince emerges in a white and blue coat, and I crane my neck to steal a glimpse of his face.
With a hard, chiseled jawline and deep green eyes, he’s utterly breathtaking, but my heart doesn’t race at the sight of his features.
Not a single butterfly flutters in my chest.
I’m not attracted to him in the slightest.
He knocks a few times, and I contemplate letting him stand there until he walks away.
“Open the door, Belle.” My father hisses. “Now.”
I let out a breath before pulling it open.
“Your Grace.” I offer a weak curtsy. “How may I help you?”
“I’m Prince Charming,” he says, “son of King Aries II & Queen Arabella Windsor, victor from the War of Beasts, and heir to the throne of the Second Kingdom.”
“Please tell me that you don’t have to say all that every time you introduce yourself.”
“I do.” He smiles. “I’m looking for the eligible maiden of the house.”
His gaze ventures toward Izzie, and I can practically see him undressing her with his eyes like every man in town does.
“The eligible maiden is me.” I roll my eyes and usher him inside.
“Oh.” He looks Izzie over one last time before looking my way. “Please have a seat so that my men can determine if you’re my long-lost true love.”
“Can’t you see that I’m not already?” I ask. “I think we would both remember if we’d ever met.”
“Belle.” My father warns.
“Right over here.” Izzie guides me onto a chair, mouthing, “Stop it.”
Prince Charming’s footman clears his throat and reads from a long scroll.
We can hardly hear his words over the heavy rainfall.
“And now, let the fitting begin.” He pulls a sparkling glass slipper from his satchel and slides it onto my right foot. “Please rise, Madam.”
I stand to my feet, hoping to show that the shoe is too small, but it fits perfectly.
What the …
Keep reading more from the first chapter here!
Whitney G. is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author. Her books have been published in twelve languages.
Whenever she’s not penning a new novel, you can find her blogging about self-publishing at The Indie Tea, drinking hot coffee, or traveling the world in sweater boots.
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