In the pink boudoir of Léa, a courtesan whose beauty still captivates, her young lover Chéri playfully demands to toy with her cherished pearls. Léa, wary of revealing her aging neck, tries to dissuade him. Chéri begrudgingly prepares for a luncheon with his mother, as Léa teasingly assists him with his chaotic dressing, arousing him slightly before seeing him off to his engagement.

A Visit to Madame Peloux

Once alone, Léa dresses meticulously, selecting a hat with a broad white brim for her outing to Madame Peloux's home. Before joining Chéri at his mother's, she fortifies herself with a substantial meal. At Madame Peloux’s, Léa encounters the woman’s boisterous and inquisitive nature. Present also are Marie-Laure, an elegant woman in her forties, and Edmée, her demure daughter whose beauty rivals her mother’s. They depart shortly after Léa’s arrival, leaving Léa perturbed by the relaxed demeanor of both mother and son. Despite Chéri's careless behavior, he remains in Léa's eyes, a youthful deity.

Reminiscences of a Past Life

Léa recalls Chéri's transformation from a stunningly beautiful yet lonely child into a young man inheriting his mother's stinginess and astuteness in business. To rescue him from Paris's decadent allure, Léa had whisked him away to Normandy during his late adolescence, nourishing him with care that sparked mutual affection. Their time in Normandy blossomed into a romantic entanglement; Chéri, enchanted by Léa’s passion and care, and Léa, drawn to his youthful vigor and untamed spirit. Though initially inclined to part due to his tempestuous behavior, once back in Paris, Chéri's desire for Léa solidified, and he became a fixture in her life for six years.

Chéri's Impending Marriage

Returning from his luncheon, Chéri announces his impending marriage to Edmée. Léa, anticipating such an arrangement, maintains a composed exterior. Chéri insists that his forthcoming wife will have little influence over him, claiming her devotion. Frustrated by Léa's serene reaction, he wishes she would seclude herself in Normandy and mourn, yearning to be her last paramour.

The Days Before the Wedding

In the weeks leading to Chéri's wedding, he and Léa savor their time together, although Léa sometimes recoils at his heartless disregard for Edmée. She realizes that her indulgence has perpetuated his childish immaturity. When Chéri casually discusses his honeymoon, Léa reminds him of her absence, spurring him to declare that she will always hold a place in his heart, a sentiment that fills her with bittersweet joy.

Léa's Solitary Year

During Chéri's honeymoon, Léa, visiting Madame Peloux, is suddenly engulfed by an inexplicable sorrow. Feeling unwell, she retreats to her bed, eventually fleeing Paris for a year to escape the anguish of lost love. Meanwhile, Chéri and Edmée reside with Madame Peloux at Neuilly until their new home is completed. Chéri remains despondent, puzzled by Léa’s cryptic farewell. His interactions with Edmée are turbulent; her love for him contrasts with his boredom. Preoccupied with their home's design, his orders for ornate decorations become increasingly erratic.

Marital Strains

Edmée’s unhappiness prompts her to search Chéri’s desk for love letters. Confronting him with accusations of loving only Léa, her tears both intrigue and fail to move him, as Léa never wept. Her claim that their intimacy lacks genuine love deeply offends Chéri—no man, he asserts, could tolerate such a suggestion. Their disputes escalate to Edmée proposing a divorce, which Chéri dismisses, knowing her affection persists and seeing no resolution in separation.

Desperate Search for Léa

In despair, Chéri seeks Léa at her residence, finding her absence unchanged. Dining alone for the first time, he remains in Paris, leading a desolate existence with a young man...