This article contains major character or plot details.

Keeping a Million Dollar Secret doesn’t come easy — just ask the winner of the diabolically stressful new competition series.

Life at The Stag, the sprawling compound where the game takes place, is a pressure cooker, as one player is awarded a million dollars from the start. But with the money comes more problems, because any sign of nervous behavior, even things perceived as slightly off-kilter (like smashing an avocado or forgetting where you were seated at breakfast) could result in a target on your back.

So, how did Cara manage to outsmart the other players and walk away with the prize? The In-N-Out cook credits her path to victory to learning from past competition series. “I am such a gamer,” she tells Tudum. “I grew up watching The Challenge, Big Brother, and Survivor, so I always dreamed about being on a show like this. I’ve studied these shows and always wondered, ‘What would I do if I was there?’”

As Million Dollar Secret’s inaugural winner, it’s safe to say Cara defied even her own expectations. From trusting her gut to lie to Sam about her sisters to deciding to swap her box with Corey’s in the game’s final moments, Cara’s instincts proved to be critical in a competition with little margin for error. 

How did it feel to watch yourself play this ruthless game?

It’s been crazy to see myself on TV. I stayed true to myself during a game that was this intense. I’m usually a calm person and like to observe and be the mediator, so I definitely see how I was like that in the show.

Did you have a strategy heading into the competition, and was staying under the radar part of it?

I aligned with almost every single person in the house. I built friendships with them, tried to get to know them on a personal level, and hoped they would care for me as a person like I do for them.

You can’t be too loud, and you can’t be too quiet. When we first got the rules from [host Peter Serafinowicz], Se Young mentioned that [the game is similar to] Werewolf (a multiplayer game during which participants vote to figure out who the “werewolf” is). I immediately thought the same thing, but in my head, I was like, “You can’t say that. You can’t say you’re a gamer, because that’s the first person that’s going home in these situations.”

Was it hard to get to know people while also being wary of sharing personal details?

That’s what was going through my mind at all times. I naturally wanted to talk about my husband all day long, and I was just like, “Okay, wait, I can’t say anything until I figure out if that’s a clue,” or, “I can’t really mention In-N-Out until they ask me.” It was really hard to not share information about your life because that’s what people naturally want to talk about. In this game you can’t.

What was the day-to-day schedule like in the mansion?

I would wake up pretty early — one of the earliest out of everyone — to take in the view, say my prayers, and acknowledge the fact that I’m getting the chance to play this incredible game in the most beautiful place I’ll ever be. Then, I would get ready and have a calm start to my day, because I knew the chaos was following shortly after. I tried to have breakfast before everybody was awake, because I’d be too nervous to eat. Then, the second we stepped out of our rooms, it was game time.

What was harder, the physical competitions or the mental aspect of the game?

It was the mental strategizing. I’m a competitive person and if I really wanted to try for challenges, I could’ve, but I didn’t. Sydnee, Corey, all them, they could have that. I just wanted to mentally hone in on people, and that’s what was really exhausting. I had to be on my A game at all times and not say the wrong thing. But then you have to say the right thing, otherwise you’re too quiet. That was really hard. I slept for three days straight after returning home because I was mentally exhausted.

Trusting your gut proved beneficial for your game. Have you always had good instincts?

I’ve always had that intuition since I was a little girl. I think God blessed me with incredible discernment, and I’ve always used it to the best of my ability. I knew that was going to be my one plus in this game. I get nervous speaking to people unless I get to know you, so I knew that wasn’t going to be my strength. I stayed true to myself and trusted my intuition the whole time, every single move I made.

When did you feel you had a strong chance at winning?

I wasn’t going home without [the money]. I drilled that into my head the second I got into the house. I made it this far, to be on a show, this close to a million dollars. I just kept mentally telling myself I can do this and I will do this. I wasn’t letting any fear get in my head.

What was going through your head when you opened your box and saw the million dollars?

That morning, when I woke up, said my prayers, and knew I was getting the money. I put on my cross and I was like, “This is it. It is happening, and there’s no way that you’re going home without this money.” When I opened [the box], that’s exactly what I felt. Deep down, I knew Corey knew I had the money. Forming that alliance with him and Sam, I got to read them really well. Something was telling me he was trying to throw me off my tracks. It was so scary, and we didn’t have a lot of time to make these decisions, so I just trusted my intuition.

I was able to call my husband that night. We just started crying, hearing each other’s voices, and that was so emotional. Then, being able to tell him [I won], it was a dream come true. He’s always been so supportive of me, and he believed in me. Same with my family. They all knew that I could do this. They had no doubts.

What have you been up to since the show ended, and what was it like keeping it secret in real life that you won?

I went back to flipping burgers. No one even knew I was gone. When the show came out, [my co-workers] were like, “When did you go? We didn’t know you even left for a month.” It’s just been crazy having this huge secret that no one knows. It’s such a weird feeling. I’m so grateful. I’m just this average burger-flipping girl with this huge secret. People are like, “So did you win?” I’m like, “If I won, I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret.” Oh, my gosh, I’m still lying outside the house.

What’s your go-to In-N-Out Burger order?

I make my own burger. It’s definitely not something you should order because it’s kind of hard to tell the person what you want, but I do double meat, mustard-fry it, then I have a whole grilled onion that I cook up, and I put the top bun on the meat and then my bottom is protein, lettuce. I drizzle a little bit of mustard on my protein, have a couple of pickles, and then I pull my burger on it.

Million Dollar Secret is streaming on Netflix.