While it was inevitable that Victor Newman’s character would return in some form, fans of The Young and the Restless should be happy to know that the actor hasn’t changed.

After nearly a month of negotiations with his bosses (and public discussions with the media), soap opera vet Eric Braeden has agreed to return to the long-running CBS drama. The 68-year-old’s change of heart came just one week after telling Entertainment Weekly that he was done for good.

“We reached an impasse in the negotiations,” Braeden said on October 16. “I have shown flexibility, they have shown none. It is over. I pulled the plug. That’s it. No more. If I show good will, I expect it to be reciprocated. If there is a rigid attitude on the other side, what is there to to negotiate? That’s a sign of utter disrespect. I will not negotiate with people who remain aloof and arrogant about the whole thing. Not after 30 years, I won’t do that. I’m saying this with a great amount of sadness because I’ve had nothing but respect for my fellow cast members, I have deep respect for the crew who has done an extraordinary job year in and year out, and I have enormous respect for (head writer) Maria Bell.”

The 68-year-old’s anger came after a 29-year stint on the show. Although he had signed a three-year contract (worth a reported seven-figures), a clause in all AFTRA-related deals allows bosses to renegotiate every 26 weeks. So despite taking a voluntary pay cut at his last signing, the agreement which should have carried him to November 2010 was being whittled down again.

Of course, the landscape looked a lot different when Braeden eventually realized he was without a job…and the #1 daytime drama faced a future without one of its top characters. On October 23, the two parties returned to the table and worked out a new deal. “All’s well that end’s well,” Braeden said. “Both sides were reasonable. We were both satisfied with the outcome. This business is tough.” Although the details have not been revealed, Eric said on Good Day LA that the agreement was for another three years.

At this point, it’s unclear when the Daytime Emmy winner will return to the show. His “departure” wasn’t even scheduled to air until November 2.