Rauya (Faten Hamama) is in her early forties when her husband decides to leave her for a younger, less talented but more attractive woman. The spurned wife remains with her daughter, and in spite of the loss of her parents in an accident, pulls herself together and lands a job working at a newspaper. It does not take long for her to get interested in the good-looking editor, but when he begins to respond she backs off. Although he is separated from his wife, that is not the same as being officially divorced, and not good enough to risk an involvement. While she is struggling with that decision, her husband has turned against his new wife, and tries to force his way back into Rauya's life. His version of the meaning of divorce is clearly quite different than hers, and she is in no mood to rewrite her definition.