Rihanna and Drake
Drake proclaimed love for Rihanna at the 2016 MTV VMAs Getty

Drake was "heartbroken" as Rihanna was missing at his birthday party. The One Dance singer turned 31 years old on Tuesday, (24 October).

The Canadian singer "really wanted" his former girlfriend to attend his bar mitzvah-themed birthday bash, which was held at celebrity hotspot Poppy in Los Angeles on 23 October. The guest list included the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Tobey Maguire, Lamar Odom and Odell Beckham Jr among others.

"Drake really wanted Rihanna to be at his birthday party. It was great seeing all of his boys and having gorgeous girls there, but he was missing Rih," a source told HollywoodLife.

The source added, "He knows that she's busy, but he misses her and would have loved to see her face. Unfortunately, she has kept her distance from him since he broke her heart last year."

Drake is said to be worried about losing RiRi forever even though he "always tries to stay friends with his exes".

"Drake always tries to stay friends with his exes, and Rihanna is and always has been one of the most special women in his life. For him to completely lose her is difficult for him to accept," the source said. "He's scared she's out of his life forever, and he really thought she would've forgiven him by now. Not showing at his party or even acknowledging it is heartbreaking for him."

Rihanna is currently dating Saudi billionaire Hassan Jameel. The couple were spotted on a date night at London's Chiltern Firehouse in August.

While leaving the swanky restaurant, Jameel tried to hide the songstress from the shutterbugs under a large umbrella.

"Keeping her relationship with Hassan out of the spotlight is a priority for Rihanna right now," a source previously told the celebrity gossip website. "She hates the avalanche of attention that happens whenever she's got a new man, it always causes drama. She wants what she's got with Hassan to last so she's being very protective."