My question is about using the adverb "instead of". Am I right in understanding that the said adverb is usually followed by things that did not happen in the past in the story of a certain speaker?

You picked up someone else's keys. But you should have taken yours. So you could not get to the apartment because someone else's keys didn't fit the lock.

So we cannot say that

You should have taken your keys instead of [..].

It is not correct usage, isn’t it?

My question is about using the adverb "instead of". Am I right in understanding that the said adverb is usually followed by things that did not happen in the past in the story of a speaker?

You picked up someone else's keys. But you should have taken yours. So you could not get to the apartment because someone else's keys didn't fit the lock.

So we cannot say that

You should have taken your keys instead of [..].

It is not correct usage, isn’t it?