iCloud clusterf***. Please advise re deleted files.

Hi all.

I'm confused by iCloud and have a new iMac and new Macbook Pro.

Shortcuts to iCloud folders used up all the free space on the MBP and it seemed to be OK to drag the shortcuts to the trash, hoping that those folders and files would stay in my iCloud account.

Apparently I was wrong and the files are gone and I don't even see a way to recover them per apple instructions in this apple page:

https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud-windows/recover-recently-deleted-files-icw27848c5a3/icloud

Any suggestions?

TIA