What is the use of the word Instead here?

Question

Holly narrate these words while going to mountain of Saskatchewan with Kit on Car:

We took off at sunset, on a line toward the mountains of Saskatchewan, for Kit a magical land beyond the reach of the law. He needed me now more than ever, but something had come between us. I'd stopped even paying attention to him. Instead, I sat in the car and read a map and spelled out entire sentences with my tongue on the roof of my mouth, where nobody could read them.

She was sitting in the car instead of doing what?

I was confused by seeing the word instead in Holly's narration. Is there any use of the word "Instead" in this narration.

Source: Badlands (1973)

Answer 1

"Instead" means that something was in place of another - something was done instead of another thing.

She was sitting and reading a map while she should have/needed to have paid attention to him. She wasn't there for him and she realised it.

When "instead" comes at the beginning of a sentence it usually tells an opposite thing/action to the one mentioned before. The action/thing may have been mentioned in just one sentence or a whole paragraph that came before the sentence starting with "instead".

Answer 2

She was sitting in the car instead of doing what?

Instead of paying attention to him.